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Home Concept Builders Newton's Laws Mass and Weight Help Help 5

Mass and Weight - Questions 5 Help

Mass and weight are more than just concepts. They are measurable quantities that are mathematically related to each other by a simple equation. Knowing one of the quantities allows you to calculate the other quantity. See the How to Think About This Situation (as always) for additional guidance.

There are three similar versions of this question. Here is one of those versions:
 

Version 1:

What is the weight of a 32-kg child?

The mass of an object is most often stated with the unit kilogram (kg). It refers to the amount of stuff in an object. The weight of an object refers to the force with which gravity pulls downward upon that stuff. The standard metric unit of weight is the Newton (N). These two quantities are related by the equation ...
 

Weight = mass • g
where g = gravitational field strength.


The value of g is location dependent. It varies ever so slightly across the surface of the Earth, being a slightly lower value at higher altitudes and nearer the equator. But overall, the value 9.8 N/kg is the generally accepted value for planet Earth.

In this question, the mass of the object is stated. It can be substituted into the above equation with the value of g in order to calculate the object's weight.

Try this link to The Physics Classroom Tutorial for more help with mass and weight:

Types of Forces (Mass and Weight section)

Concept Builder Teacher Notes Directions