Difference between mass and weight
The mass is the amount of matter containing a body and weight is the action exerted by the force of gravity on the body.
The mass of an object will always be the same, no matter where it is located. Instead, the weight of the object will vary according to the force of gravity acting on it.
For example: a person with a mass of 50 kg on Earth will have the same mass on the Moon. On the other hand, the weight of that same person will be 6 times less on the satellite with respect to that of the planet due to the differences in the force of gravity. The force of gravity on the Moon is 1,622 m / s2 and on Earth it is 9.8 m / s2.
| Mass (m) | Weight (p) |
|---|---|
| It is a scalar quantity. | It is a vector magnitude. |
| It's the amount of matter a body has. | It is the action exerted by the force of gravity. |
| Its value is constant. | Its value varies by position. |
| It is measured with the balance. | It is measured with the dynamometer. |
| Unit of measure: kilogram (Kg) and gram (g). | Unit of measurement: Newton (N). |
| Intrinsic quantity. | Extrinsic quantity. |
What is dough?
Mass is the amount of matter that an object has. It is a quantitative measure of a body's resistance to acceleration. We can see it as the resistance of a crockery on the table when the tablecloth is pulled out.
Regardless of where the body is, the mass will always be the same, that is, it is an intrinsic quantity of matter.
The dough is a extensive property of matter, depends on the quantity and size of the system under study. This means that if an object of mass equal to 1 kg, we remove 0.1 kg, and the mass will not be the same in the original object.
How is mass measured?
Mass is normally measured by means of a balance, making a comparison with a known standard. In the International System of Units (SI), mass is expressed in kilogram (kg). Since May 20, 2019, the kilogram is defined in terms of Planck's constant h, a fundamental constant of quantum physics that is universal:
This new measurement of the kilogram replaces the old definition of the kilogram, based on the international kilogram prototype, a platinum and iridium cylinder that is kept at the International Bureau of Weights and Measures in Sèvres, France in 1889.
What is the weight?
Weight is the gravitational force exerted by the Earth or any other celestial body on a object, which is equal to the product of the object's mass and the value of the gravitational acceleration local:
The value of the acceleration constant on Earth is 9.8 m / s2. By the formula it can be interpreted that the weight is proportional to the mass of the object.
Weight is a vector quantity since it has intensity, direction and sense. As such, weight is a measurement resulting from the action that Earth's gravity exerts on a body, and thus, weight is a variable value.
How is weight measured?
The instrument used to determine weight is the dynamometer or spring scale. This consists of a protected coil spring that measures the force applied to the end of a pointer.
In the International System of Units (SI), the unit of weight is expressed in Newton (N), which is equal to:
You may be interested in knowing the differences between:
- Mass, volume, density, energy and work
- Speed and speed.
- Density and specific weight
Doctor in Biochemistry from the Venezuelan Institute of Scientific Research (IVIC), with a degree in Bioanalysis from the Central University of Venezuela.
