Difference between Mass and Weight

Difference between Mass and Weight

Mass and weight are related with Physics which is a branch of science in which we study the material, dynamism and how they are related. Issac   Newton plays a very important role in the establishment and development of physics. Physics have following branches: astrophysics, astronomy, biophysics, chemical physics, econophysics, Geophysics medical physics and physical chemistry,

Mass

Mass is the measure of capacity of an object irrespective of forces acting on it that is avoiding gravitational force.  It is studied in the field of mechanics in Physics. Often mass is considered same as weight but it is different from weight in many aspects.

Weight

Weight is the amount of force which is acting on an object or the gravitational pull of any object is called weight. More consideration is paid to weight after the development of Laws of Motion which were presented by Issac Newton.

Mass VS Weight

Influence of Gravity:

Mass is the measure of quantity of that object notwithstanding with gravitational pull.

Mass is the measure of gravitational force acting on an object.

Quantity category:

Mass is a scalar quantity. This means it can fully explained by numeric value.

Weight is a vector quantity. This implies that it also needs to define direction when dealing with weight.

Variation:

Mass of an object always remains constant because it is not influenced by gravitational pull.  Mass of an object cannot be null.

Weight of an object varies from place to place. Because it dependents on gravitational force acting on an object. It can be null in places like moon.

Unit:

Mass can be measured in kilograms (kg), milligrams (mg) and grams (g).

Unit of Weight is Newton (N).

Formula:

Mass can be calculated by using formula m=f/a.

Weight is measured by W=mg.

Measurement:

Mass can be measured by using pan balance.

Spring balance is used for measurement of Weight.

Example:

Mass remains constant as the mass of a person on moon is equal to the mass of a person on Earth.

Weight varies from place to place the weight of a person on moon varies from the person on Earth. The weight of a person on Earth is 1200N and person on moon has a weight of 200N.

Conclusion

Mass is very important due to two facts Gravity and Inertia. The greater will be the mass the greater force will be required to move in space and similarly the greater the Mass of an object the greater force in required to move an object and vice versa.  Whereas it’s easy to calculate weight which is the amount of gravitation force acting on a body.