How is the mass of a body determined?
Correct answer to the quiz question
Scales
The mass is usually measured using a scale.
Detailed answer to the quiz question
The mass of a body is a fundamental concept in physics that describes how much matter an object contains. It is usually measured using a scale. The weight force acting on the body due to gravity is determined. To understand this measurement, it is important to distinguish between mass and weight.
The mass remains constant, regardless of where the body is located, while the weight depends on the gravitational force acting on the body. The weight is the product of the mass and the acceleration due to gravity, which is approximately 9.81 m/s² on the Earth’s surface. On other planets, however, the weight force could be different, while the mass remains unchanged.
To determine the mass of a body, a double balance is often used, which compares the forces on both sides in equilibrium. The body to be measured is placed on one side and a known mass on the other. If the balance is in equilibrium, the mass of the body can be read off directly.
