Mass & Weight

Mass & WeightBy Mr. Krall

What is matter?Before we can learn about mass and weight, we need to know what matter is.

Matter is any atoms or parts of atoms: including solids, liquids, gases, and plasmas

Examples of matter an atom, an electron, any liquid (like water,) oxygen gas, solid rock, or any kind of particles

What is mass?Mass is a measurement of how much matter an object is made up of.

The more atoms (or parts of atoms) a substance or object is made of, the greater its mass.

The mass of an object is constant. It does not change.

Examples of MassThis urinal cake has 50g of mass.Two urinal cakes would have twice as many atoms for 100g of mass.Even if you pounded the urinal cake into mush, it would still have a mass of 50g, since it is still made of the same amount of matter.If you crushed a urinal cake down into half its size, the mass would still be 50g. The atoms would just be forced closer together.Floating in outer space, the urinal cake is made of the same amount of atoms. So its mass is still 50g.The change in gravity doesnt change how many atoms the urinal cake is made up of.SPLAT!CRUSHMass is the amount of matter (atoms or parts of atoms) an object is made up of.

Mass doesnt change.

What is weight?Weight is the force of gravity pulling on an object.

The larger the pull of gravity on an object, the greater its weight becomes.

An objects weight can change if the pull of gravity on that object changes.

Examples of WeightGravity pulls on the urinal cakes particles. The force that it pulls on those particles is the weight of the urinal cake. The weight with Earths gravity is 50g. Two urinal cakes would have twice as many atoms for gravity to pull on, so the weight doubles to 100g.Even if you pounded the urinal cake into mush, it would still have a weight of 50g, since it is still the same particles and gravity will pull on them the same.If you crushed a urinal cake down into half its size, the weight would still be 50g. The atoms would just be forced closer together, but gravity would pull on them the same.Floating in outer space, the urinal cake is made of the same amount of atoms, but there is almost no gravity to pull on them.

Therefore, the weight is 0g.

No gravity force pulling on the urinal cake means it is weightless.SPLAT!CRUSHWeight is the force of gravitys pull on an object.

Weight changes if the pull of gravity on an object changes.gravitygravitygravitygravity no gravity

The difference between: mass and weightWeight depends on how strong the pull of gravity is on an object. If you are on Earth, your weight is larger than on the Moon because Earths gravity is stronger than the Moons gravity. In space, where gravity is almost zero, you could be weightless.Weight can change.

My weight is almost zero in space, since gravity is hardly pulling on me at all!

The difference between: mass and weight (cont.)Since mass tells how much matter an object is made of, that amount is the same wherever the object goes. In outer space, you are made of the same amount of atoms as you were on Earth, so your mass is the same.A puzzle would be the same amount of pieces in space or on Earth.

An object would be made of the same amount of atoms or atom pieces in space or on Earth.

MASSA measurement of the amount of atoms or parts of atoms an object or substance is made up of.WEIGHTA measurement of the force of gravitys pull on an object.The mass of an object doesnt change.The weight of an object can change if the force of gravity pulling on it changes.We measure mass with a triple beam balance. We measure weight with a spring scale.On Earth, the mass and weight of an object are the same number and units. (We take Earths gravity for granted.)

Both the Metric and English systems can measure mass and weight of objects. BOTH