Like this. That looks simple, right? It just gives you the mass. But hold on—this scale actually gives you the weight and then does a calculation to get the mass assuming you are on Earth. If you take this scale to Mars, it will not give you the correct mass because there is a different gravitational field. Actually, this scale does something very similar to this basic spring scale.
It measures the force applied to it and then converts to a mass. But wait! Sometimes this doesn't even give you the weight. What if the scale is accelerating UP? In that case, the net force on the mass must be something other than zero. It must have a net upward force. Since the gravitational force doesn't change unless you change the Earth—please don't do that , the spring scale has to pull harder. You can see this in slow motion.
Something similar would happen if you were standing on a scale in an elevator. When the elevator accelerates up, the scale would show a higher value—but your mass stays the same. There is another way to measure the mass—a method that doesn't rely on the gravitational field.
That means you can use this balance on Earth, or Mars, or even in deep space where the is no gravity yes, there is gravity in low Earth orbit. This particular model has a tray connected to two metal bands. When displaced to the side, the metal bands create a restoring force that leads to an oscillation—just like a mass on a spring.
But what happens if you add MORE mass to the balance? So a trip to space might be a quick way to lose weight, but losing mass is another matter. Jake Port Jake Port contributes to the Cosmos explainer series. More from:. Jake Port. Read science facts, not fiction Make a donation. Mass is also linked to gravity, which is basically the attraction between two objects that have mass depending on distance.
However, they are not related; gravity has no effect on mass. How can an object be composed of zero matter? The imperial unit for weight is the pound. Remember mass and gravity being linked? Weight is the gravitational interaction between objects that have mass. Weight can be equal to zero depending on the gravity and is force and therefore a vector. Well, for one, mass and weight are not only related, but proportional. Follow along with the video and compare what happens in microgravity compared to Earth.
You can compare the weights of objects by hanging them from rubber bands. On Earth, gravity affects a heavier object more than a lighter one and stretches the rubber band further. Predict what will happen when heavy and light objects are suspended from rubber bands on the ISS. What shape will the rubber band take? Do you expect there to be a difference between the way the rubber band responds to a heavy object compared to a light object?
The easiest way to explore mass on Earth is to conduct experiments that move horizontally rather than vertically. Change the mass of the car, make a prediction about how this will change how far the car rolls, and perform an experiment to test the hypothesis. You can graph the distance the car moves compared to its mass. Predict whether the results will be different in space and use the ISS experiment to reach a conclusion.
0コメント