Difference Between Mass and Weight With Example & Formula
Hope you all are fine, and preparing for your exams with a lot of hard work. If you are preparing for 11th, 12th, NEET and JEE, then it is very basic and important for you to know about the Difference Between Mass and Weight. In this article, we are going to give you all the important special information about mass and weight. Friends, if you want to know about the Difference Between Mass and Weight, then read this article carefully till the end. So that you can get the correct information about Mass and Weight. By which you can get help in your study.
The Difference Between Mass and Weight is often asked in exams. Often students use the words mass and weight interchangeably, which is completely wrong. But in the field of physics, they have different meanings and implications. To understand scientific concepts, it is important to understand the difference between mass and weight. Be rest assured that today we will tell you the Difference Between Mass and Weight along with its Example & Formula, find out their respective units of Measurement and their importance in different contexts. And will also answer questions related to it.
If we talk about the difference in meaning between mass and weight, then the mass of a body is called the amount of matter present in it, while the weight of a body is called the measure of the gravitational force acting on it. Let us now know about the Difference Between Mass and Weight in detail. Read this article carefully till the end so that all the information can be understood correctly.
What About Mass?
Mass is one of the fundamental quantities and the most basic property of matter. We can define mass as a measure of the amount of matter in a body. Mass is an intrinsic property of an object that remains the same under all circumstances.
- The SI unit of mass is kilogram (kg).
- It is a scalar quantity.
- Mass is a quantitative measure of inertia.
- The greater the mass of a body, the lesser will be the change when a force is applied.
Note- The mass of a body remains constant. Only in certain extreme situations where a body is highly stimulated or stimulated negatively. For instance, a tiny amount of matter is transformed into a large amount of energy during a nuclear event, which lowers the mass of the substance.
What About Weight?
Weight is a measure of the gravitational force acting on an object. It is represented by ‘g’. Just as the measure of weight varies with place, the value of ‘g’ also varies. The direction in which the force is applied determines its magnitude. Since weight is an indicator of the force applied on something, its direction will also affect the weight.
- Weight is a force, so its SI unit is same as that of force, SI unit of weight is newton (N).
- Weight is a vector quantity.
- Weight is represented by ‘g’.
The formula for weight:
Example:
- Given that the earth’s shape is an oblate spheroid rather than a perfectly spherical one, a person standing at the equator is farther from the planet’s center than a person standing at the north pole. Additionally, since gravity’s Acceleration is proportional to the inverse of the square of the distance between two objects, a person standing at the north pole will feel more weight than a person standing at the equator.
- If the mass of the object is 60 kg, then its weight on the ground will be.
Difference Between Mass and Weight
| Mass | Weight |
| A measure of the amount of matter | A measure of the force of gravity |
| Measured in kilograms (kg) | Measured in newtons (N) |
| Represents the inertia of an object | Represents the force acting on an object due to gravity |
| Independent of gravitational field strength | Dependent on gravitational field strength |
| Remains constant regardless of location | Varies with location on Earth or other celestial bodies |
| Doesn’t change with altitude or presence of gravity | Changes with altitude and presence of gravity |
| Property of an object | Resultant force acting on an object |
| Same on Earth and in space | Varies on different celestial bodies |
| Determines the resistance to acceleration | Determines the force exerted by an object on a supporting surface |
| Conserved in closed systems | Not conserved in closed systems |
| Used in the Newton’s second law of motion | Used in the calculation of gravitational force |
| Mass of an object can’t be negative | Weight can be negative (e.g., in certain calculations) |
| Independent of size or shape of an object | Depends on the size and shape of an object |
| Scalar quantity (magnitude only) | Vector quantity (magnitude and direction) |
| Doesn’t depend on the presence of other objects | Depends on the presence of other objects with mass |
| Provides the basis for the conservation of mass | Doesn’t provide the basis for the conservation of mass |
| Determines an object’s response to external forces | Determines an object’s interaction with gravitational forces |
Proportionate Weight on the Moon, Earth, and other Worlds
In the above we have given you complete information about the Difference Between Mass and Weight. The weights of masses on the surfaces of various solar system worlds are listed below in relation to their weights on Earth:
- Mercury’s weight is 0.378
- Venus’s weight is 0.907.
- Mass on Earth: 1
- Moon weight: 0.165
- Mass on Mars: 0.377 kg
- Jupiter’s weight is 2.364
- Saturn’s weight is 0.910.
- Uranus’s weight is 0.889
- Neptune’s weight is 1.125
Mass to Weight Conversion
Above we have given you complete information about the Difference Between Mass and Weight. To convert between mass and weight (force), apply Newton’s second law:
Force can be expressed as follows:
F = ma, or force = mass × acceleration.
- Here, a is the acceleration due to gravity, which is roughly 9.8 m/s² or 32.2 ft/s² on Earth, m is the object’s mass, and F is the force due to gravity (i.e., the weight).
The Relationship Between Mass and Weight
Imagine a body that is both very huge in mass and weight. A big object that is difficult to toss because of its weight is an example of this circumstance. Newton’s second law, which states that an object falling freely has an acceleration “g” as its magnitude, can therefore be used to determine the relationship between weight and mass.
The force that falls on a 1 kilogram object at an acceleration of 9.8 ms-2 can be calculated as follows:
F = ma
F = (1kg)(9.8ms-2)
F = (9.8 kg.ms-2)
F = 9.8 N
- As a result, it may be said that an object with a mass of 1 kg will have a weight of 9.8 N in relation to its weight.
The Function of Weight and Mass in Daily Life
Above we have given you complete information about the Difference Between Mass and Weight. If observed, weight and mass have a special impact in our daily life. Our daily lives are significantly impacted by mass and weight. We can calculate the amount of effort needed to lift or move objects by knowing their weight. Conversely, mass enables us to comprehend the physical characteristics of entities as well as the amount of matter they contain.
Frequently Asked Question
Q? What is the mass and weight formula?
Ans: W is equal to mg. In this case, the object’s weight is represented by “W,” its mass by “m,” and its acceleration caused by gravity by “g.”
Q? What does it mean to be weightless?
Ans: A state of free fall known as weightlessness occurs when the inertial force from orbital flight or other gravity-negating circumstances cancels out the effects of gravity. It is felt as a result of not having a sense of weight. It takes place when there are no contact forces occurring on the human body.
Q? Which five distinctions exist between weight and mass?
Ans: Weight is a measurement of the force of gravity acting on a given quantity of matter, whereas mass is the quantity of matter in a body. The body’s mass is an intrinsic quality that doesn’t change no matter where it is. Mass * Acceleration equals force, therefore weight is a type of force.
Conclusion
In the above article, we have told you about the Difference Between Mass and Weight. What is mass? What is weight? Mass to Weight Conversion, The Function of Weight and Mass in Daily Life and the formula of weight and mass, complete information with examples have been given. Friends, we hope you liked the information about the Difference Between Mass and Weight and it has also helped you in your studies. Stay connected with our website to read such knowledgeable articles daily. Thank you.
