Question

WEIGHT AND MASS Weight is the force a body is attracted with by the Earth. This force can be measured with a spring balance. The more the body weighs, the more the spring it is suspended on will be stretched. With the aid of a weight it is possible to calibrate the spring – make marks which will indicate, how much the spring has been stretched by a weight of one, two, three, etc. kilograms. If, after this, a body is suspended on such a scale, we shall be able to find the force (gravity) of its attraction by the Earth. For measuring weights, one uses not only stretching but also contracting springs. A calibrated spring can serve to measure not only the force of the Earth’s attraction, i.e. weight, but also other forces. Such an instrument is called a dynamometer which means a measurer of forces. We can measure a person’s muscular force by means of a dynamometer if the person is strong. The weight of the body is one of its very important properties. However, the weight depends not only on the body itself. As a matter of fact, the Earth attracts it. When we measure weight and compare it with the weight of a standard, we are to find a new property of bodies, which is called mass. Unlike weight, mass is an invariant property of a body. It depends only on the body. A comparison of weights, i.e. measurements of mass, must be carried out with the aid of ordinary balance scale. We say that the masses of two bodies are equal if the balance scale on whose pans these bodies are placed is in perfect equilibrium.

Answer 1

Weight and Mass

Weight and mass are two related but distinct concepts in physics. Weight refers to the force with which a body is attracted to the Earth, while mass is an intrinsic property of a body that measures its resistance to changes in motion. Let's explore these concepts in more detail.

Weight

Weight is the force exerted on a body due to the gravitational attraction between the body and the Earth. It is commonly measured using a spring balance or a weighing scale. When a body is suspended from a spring balance, the spring stretches proportionally to the weight of the body. By calibrating the spring with known weights, we can determine the force of gravity acting on the body.

Mass

Mass, on the other hand, is a measure of the amount of matter in a body. It is an intrinsic property and does not depend on the gravitational force. Mass can be thought of as the "quantity of stuff" in an object. Unlike weight, which varies with the strength of the gravitational field, mass remains constant regardless of the location.

To measure mass, we use an ordinary balance scale. The masses of two bodies are considered equal if the balance scale is in perfect equilibrium when the bodies are placed on its pans.

Relationship between Weight and Mass

Weight and mass are related through the force of gravity. The weight of an object can be calculated using the formula:

Weight = mass × acceleration due to gravity

where the acceleration due to gravity is approximately 9.8 m/s² on the surface of the Earth.

It's important to note that weight and mass are not the same thing. Weight depends on the gravitational force acting on the body, while mass is an inherent property of the body itself.

Dynamometer

A dynamometer is an instrument used to measure forces, including weight. It typically consists of a calibrated spring that stretches or contracts in response to the applied force. By measuring the deformation of the spring, we can determine the force being exerted.

In addition to measuring weight, a dynamometer can also be used to measure other forces, such as a person's muscular force. By gripping the dynamometer and exerting force, we can quantify the strength of the individual.

Conclusion

In summary, weight is the force with which a body is attracted to the Earth, while mass is an intrinsic property of a body that measures its resistance to changes in motion. Weight depends on the gravitational force, while mass is independent of it. The relationship between weight and mass is given by the force of gravity. A dynamometer is an instrument that can be used to measure forces, including weight.