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period: ______________
Learning Objective: Students will compare the concepts of mass and weight as ways to quantify matter.
They will understand how mass and weight are similar and how to measure mass and weight using correct
tools and metric units.
Background Information:
What do you
want to
measure?
Definition
Tool
Weight
English
System Unit
2. Use the graph to help you calculate your weight and mass on other planets.
a. Find your Mass on Earth by using a scale calibrated to pounds.
b. Multiply your Mass on Earth by the conversion factor of .45 Kg/pound. Record in data table.Multiple
the result by the conversion factor of 10 Newtons/Kg to calculate your Weight on Earth. Record in data
table.
c. Decide which planet you would like to travel to first. Record Planet Name in data table.
d. Record your Mass on Planet X. X = Planet Name.
e. Calculate your Weight on Planet X. Look at the Gravity on Planets Graph. On this graph, the
acceleration of gravity on Earth = 1. You can find out the force of gravity related to Earths gravity by
looking at the graph for other planets gravity factor (for example, Jupiters gravitational pull is 2.5
times that of Earth). Multiply your Mass on Planet X by the gravity factor. Record in data table.
f. Use this example if needed:
_____100_______ X _____.45 ______ = ______45___________
Mass on Earth Kg/pound
Mass on Earth*
(pounds)
(Kg)
______45_______ X 10 = _____450_______ X _____2.5 (Jupiter)_ = ____1125__________
Mass on Earth Newtons/kg
Weight on Earth* Gravity Factor Weight on Planet
(Kg)
(Newtons)
X*
(Newtons)
Mass on
Weight on Planet
Mass on
Weight on
Earth (kg)
Earth (N)
Name
Planet X
Planet X
(kg)
(N)
Gravity Factor = a number that represents how
much more or less gravity there is on different
planets.
3. Summarize your understanding by answering the questions on a separate sheet of paper.
a. Explain why your weight is different on other planets. What factors contribute to having more or less
weight? Refer to the background information text in the lab notebook for additional help.
b. Do objects with large masses always have large weights? Explain.
c. Are the properties of mass and weight useful when trying to identify different types of matter? Why or why
not?
Mass
The mass of an object is the amount of matter or "stuff" it contains. The more matter an object contains,
the greater its mass. An elephant contains more matter than a mouse, so it has a greater mass. Mass is
measured in kilograms, kg, or grams, g.
A 100 kg object has a greater mass than a 5 kg object. Remember an object's mass stays the same
wherever it is.
Gravity
All objects have a force that attracts them towards each other. This is called gravity. Even you attract other
objects to you because of gravity, but you have too little mass for the force to be very strong.
Gravitational force increases when:
Gravity only becomes noticeable when there is a really massive object like a moon, planet or star. We are
pulled down towards the ground because of gravity. The gravitational force pulls in the direction towards
the center of the Earth.
"Down" is towards the center of the Earth, wherever you are on the planet
Weight
Weight is a force caused by gravity. The weight of an object is the gravitational force between the object
and the Earth. The more mass the object has the greater its weight will be.
Weight is a force, so it's measured in newtons. On the surface of the Earth an object with a mass of 1 kg
has a weight of about 10 N.