Do you want to know more about weighing and about the concepts that are part of the subject? Find out exactly what mass and weight are and get the difference between the two terms. On Balanças Marques’ blog.
Important on the weighing sector, but also for Physics and Mechanical Engineering, these two concepts are confused, lot of times. Actually, mass and weight end up looking like synonyms on day-to-day conversations.
But, truth is, they refer to different things.
So, Balanças Marques gives you the definition of mass and weight and explains which is the difference between both.
1. What is mass?
Mass is the amount of matter present in a body.
It’s related to the resistance that an object offers to a change of speed or position, after the application of force. The greater the mass of a body, lesser will be the change produced by the applied force.
2. What is weight?
Although connected to mass, the weight refers to something else.
It’s essencially the force exerted on the matter by Earth’s gravity. That is, it has to do with the force with which the planet “pulls” the body towards the ground.
3. So, what’s the difference between mass and weight?
Mass and weight are, therefore, concepts connected to each other. But still different.
Referring to the amount of matter in a body, mass is measured in kilograms (kg) and is always the same regardless of the location – and gravity. In turn, being directly connected to the gravitational force, weight is measured in newtons (N) and it varies according to the location.
For example, the mass of an astronaut is the same whether on Earth or on the Moon. But, if we measure it, the result will be different in each place. Because weight is not the same – gravity exerts more force on the body on our planet than on its satellite.
To learn even more about weighing and find advice, explore Balanças Marques’ blog. And if you have any questions on the subject, contact us – our experts are always ready to help you.
