Mass and Weight

1.3
 Core
• Show familiarity with the idea of the mass of a body
• State that weight is a gravitational force
• Distinguish between mass and weight
• Recall and use the equation W = mg
• Demonstrate understanding that weights (and hence
masses) may be compared using a balance
 Supplement
• Demonstrate an understanding that mass is a property
that ‘resists’ change in motion
• Describe, and use the concept of, weight as the effect of
a gravitational field on a mass
 Gravity
What is gravity?
 Gravity
Gravity is the attractive force that all objects
with mass exert on each other.

Force due
to gravity
 Gravity
Gravity is a very weak force.

The force of gravity between two people

(when 1 metre apart) is only about 0.0000004N
 Gravity
The size of the gravitational force depends
on the mass of the objects. The larger the
mass, the larger the force!

Small attractive force

Larger attractive force

 Gravity
The size of the force also depends on the
distance between the objects.
 Gravity
We only really notice the force due to
gravity if one object has a very large mass.
 Gravity
The force of gravity exerted on something
is called its weight. Because it is a force it is
measured in Newtons.

Weight
 Gravity
On the earth, the average weight of a person
is is about 800 N.

800 N
 Gravity
On the moon, the weight of the same person
is about 130 N.

130 N
 Gravity
In deep space, far away from any planets or
stars the weight would be zero.
 Mass
Mass is a measure of the amount of matter
in an object. It is measured in kilograms.
 Mass
The man has a mass of about 80 kg on
Earth.

80kg
 Mass
On the moon, the man has not changed.
That means he still is made up of 80 kg of
matter.

80kg
 Gravity
In deep space, the man still has not
changed. That means he still is made of 80
kg of matter.

80kg
 Mass and weight
Mass is a measure of the amount of material
an object is made of. It is measured in
kilograms.

Weight is the force of gravity on an object.

It is measured in Newtons.
 Calculating weight
The force of gravity on one kilogram is
called the gravitational field strength. It is
measured in Newtons per kilogram (N/kg)
 Calculating weight
To calculate the weight of an object you multiply
the object’s mass by the gravitational field strength
wherever you are.

Weight (N) = mass (kg) x gravitational field strength

(N/kg)
 Example
The gravitational field strength on or close to
the Earth is 10 N/kg. What is your weight if
your mass is 45 kg?

Weight (N) = mass (kg) x gravitational field strength (N/kg)

Weight (N) = 45 kg x 10 N/kg
Weight = 450 N
 Mass (m):

Mass is the measure of the quantity of matter in an object.

It depends on the number of molecules in the matter.
Mass unit is kilogram (kg).

Mass is also known as the resistance to move.

This is called INERTIA
Inertia is a property of a body that ‘resists’ change in
motion.
 Mass is independent of Gravity.
The Mass of an object is the same anywhere in the Universe.

Therefore an object would have same mass on Earth and on

the Moon.

It will have different weight because of the change of gravity.

Gravity on the moon is 1/6th of the gravity on earth.

Demonstrate understanding that weights (and hence
masses) may be compared using a balance
Mass of an object can be measured by using spring balance
(newton-meter), top pan balance or lever balance.
 Weight
Weight, W is the Force of Gravity acting on an object.
Weight depends on Gravitational acceleration AND Mass

W = Fg = mg Unit is the Newton, N

Weight is caused by the gravitational field of Earth on a mass.

Weight is a vector (MUD).

g is the acceleration due to gravity whose value is 9.81ms-2.

Sometimes questions will use 10ms-2 to simplify calculations.