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UNIT 3: Relationship Between Weight and Mass
Eco-Smart Schools
Created on September 24, 2025
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Project Number: 2023-1-PL01-KA220-SCH-000164042
UNIT 3: Relationship Between Weight and Mass
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
Introduction
- In this activity, we will focus on the difference between the concepts of mass and weight, which are often used interchangeably in everyday life.
source: freepik.com
Learning Outcomes
Student:
- Compares the concepts of mass and weight.
- Names the force of gravity acting on the mass as weight.
source: freepik.com
source: freepik.com
source: freepik.com
- In everyday life, you may have witnessed many times that the concepts of mass and weight are used interchangeably.
- However, in science books, it is stated that these are related but different things. So what exactly is the difference between mass and weight?
What is mass?
- Mass is the unchanging amount of matter in an object; it is determined depending on the number and type of atoms contained in objects.
- It is measured with an equal-arm balance. Its unit is gram or kilogram.
- For example, the mass of 1 carbon atom is 1.9945×10^-23 grams. Therefore, if you weigh a pure substance consisting of 10^23 carbon atoms, you will see that it comes to 1.9945 g. Then we can say that the mass of an object is equal to the sum of the masses of the atoms that make up that object.
source: freepik.com
What is mass?
- If the mass of an object is to be changed, the number and/or type of particles that make up that object must be changed. For example, when you add more water to the water in a glass, you increase the mass because you change the amount of particles in the glass. Likewise, when you drink some of the water in the glass, you decrease its mass because the amount of particles in the glass decreases.
- However, as long as the amount of particles remains constant, the mass of the object will not change.
source: freepik.com
What is weight?
- Weight is the magnitude of the force acting on the mass. It is measured with a dynamometer and its unit is “Newton.” As can be understood from the definition, we define weight in relation to mass. We cannot talk about weight without mass.
- When the mass of an object increases, its weight also increases. When its mass decreases, its weight also decreases. However, mass and weight are still not the same thing because it is possible to change the weight without changing the mass.
- Let's carry out a learning activity to better understand the difference:
source: freepik.com
LEARNING ACTIVITY:
- Imagine that you take two identical objects and place them on the scales of an equal-arm balance. Since they are identical, the balance will remain balanced. If you took this balance and the weights to the Moon, Mars or any other planet, do you think the balance would be out of balance?
- Discuss with your peers.
- By scanning the QR code on the side, you can travel to different planets in an augmented reality environment and make observations about the mass and weight of objects.
Describe the relationship between the concepts of mass and weight based on your observations. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Imagine a weightlifter trying to lift an 80 kg weight. Do you think the weightlifter would lift the barbell more easily if he/she did this experiment on Earth or on the Moon? Explain your opinion with justifications. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………