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How Is Mass Measured Or Observed?

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Anonymous answered
Mass is measured in grams, or kilograms, using a balance... NOT a spring-scale
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Anonymous answered
Short answer: With a balance scale, but not with a spring scale.

This reason is a bit hard to explain because they are virtually indistinguishable by our senses on earth. Mass is an absolute measure of material that does not change. Weight is a measure of how much force is being exerted by gravity. More mass means more weight and is consistent on earth because the weight of the earth is consistent.

Weight is measured with anything that senses pressure, like spring scales or hydraulic scales. Mass is measured with a balance. Because the "weights" on the opposite side of the thing you measure stay the same mass, this measure is based on a comparison of relative weight and therefore mass. A spring scale would render different results for an object on the moon as it would for the same object on Mars while a balance scale would show identical results. The key here is that neither you nor I are ever likely to do any of these measurements anywhere but earth. So weight and mass are practically the same on earth.
Aisha Profile
Aisha answered
The mass of an object refers to the amount of matter that the specific object contains. The mass of an object is usually measured in Kilograms or pounds and is usually taken same as Weight. Weighing scale is the scientific device to measure mass or weight.
thanked the writer.
Anonymous
Anonymous commented
This answer defines mass in terms of "matter" but doesn't define what matter is! Also it only talks about measuring mass by weighing (ie with mass in a gravitational field) but physicists say weight and mass are 2 different properties. So I'm still unclear: what are the measurable properties of mass if there is no gravitational field; is it possible for mass to exist without a gravitational field?
Anonymous
Anonymous commented
1. What is "matter that the specific object contains"?
2. Physicists say mass and weight are 2 different properties.
So, not a satisfactory answer for me but a fascinating question!
Anonymous
Anonymous commented
"what are the measurable properties of mass if there is no gravitational field"
That is a very smart question , the answer is simply they don't really know what is mass
and it already makes their life hard in the standard model.
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Anonymous answered
Mass is how much matter their is in a object for example I have a glass or measuring cup and the maximum capacity in the object is 1 l ok its a big glass so I put half the capacity in so there is half the mass there should be in a full glass so one litre is 1000 ml so half a thousand is... Five hundred so the mass in the 1 l is 500 ml

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