IGCSE Coordinated Science: Mass and Weight

IGCSE Coordinated Science: Mass and Weight

Mass and Weight

Difference between Mass and Weight
Weight is the gravitational pull on an object measured in Newtons because it is the amount of force. This is different on different planets because the gravitational pull is different due to the different mass of the planet.
Mass is the amount of particles in a substance. This is the same regardless of how much gravitational pull is applied to the object because it represents the amount of substance.

The weight is calculated by multiplying the mass by the gravitational constant.

Demonstrate understanding that mass is a property that 'resists' change in motion.
This is the concept of inertia. If a force is applied to an object, it will not immediately reach a high speed because it requires time to accelerate, as shown by the formula F = ma. If the force is constantly applied, then there is a constant acceleration. However, if the force is not constant and only applied in an instant, there will be an instant of acceleration and then it will take time for the object to speed up.

Know that the Earth is the source of a gravitational field.
By virtue of its mass, Earth functions as an attractive force. Any object with mass has a gravitational field around it. The gravitational force that an object experiences increases with its mass.

Describe and use the concept of weight as the effect of a gravitational field on mass.
As mentioned before, the weight of an object is the gravitational force applied to it multiplied by the mass.

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Weight (N) = mass (kg) x gravitational acceleration (m/s²).