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Measurement: Weight and Mass

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Measurement: Weight and Mass

Study Guide

Key Definition

Weight is the measure of how heavy an object is. Mass is the amount of material it contains. Weight is measured in pounds, ounces, and tons, while mass is measured in grams, kilograms, and metric tons.

Important Notes

Weight depends on gravity, and gravity varies on different planets.
Mass remains constant regardless of location.
1 pound (lb) = $16$ ounces (oz)
1 kilogram (kg) = $1,000$ grams (g)
A metric ton is equal to $1,000$ kilograms.

Mathematical Notation

$W = mg$ relates weight (W), mass (m), and gravitational acceleration (g)

$m$ represents mass

$g$ represents gravitational acceleration

$W$ represents weight

Use these notations when solving weight and mass problems

Why It Works

Understanding the difference between weight and mass helps in distinguishing how objects interact with gravity and how much material they contain.

Remember

Weight changes with gravity, but mass stays the same. This is crucial for understanding physics on different planets.

Quick Reference

Pounds to Ounces:$1 \text{ lb} = 16 \text{ oz}$

Grams to Kilograms:$1 \text{ kg} = 1,000 \text{ g}$

Metric Ton to Kilograms:$1 \text{ t} = 1,000 \text{ kg}$

Understanding Measurement: Weight and Mass

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Video explanation of this concept

Beginner

Start here! Easy to understand

Beginner Explanation

Weight is how heavy something is and is measured in pounds or ounces. Mass is the amount of stuff in something, measured in grams or kilograms. These are part of the metric system and customary systems.

Practice Problems

Test your understanding with practice problems

Quick Quiz

Single Choice Quiz

Beginner

How many ounces are in a pound?

Real-World Problem

Question Exercise

Intermediate

Teenager Scenario

Imagine you are on Mars where gravity is different. Your weight will change, but your mass remains the same.

Thinking Challenge

Thinking Exercise

Intermediate

Think About This

If a bottle of water has a mass of $1 \text{ kg}$, what is its weight on Earth?

Challenge Quiz

Single Choice Quiz

Advanced

If an object has a mass of $50 \text{ kg}$, what is its weight on a planet with $g = 15 \text{ m/s}^2$?

Recap

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