The Difference Between Mass and Weight
What is Mass?
Mass is simply the measure of the amount of matter in a body.
What is Weight?
Weight is the measure of the amount of force acting on a mass due to acceleration due to gravity.
What is the difference between mass and weight?
| Difference | Mass | Weight |
| Definition | Mass is simply the measure of the amount of matter in a body. | Weight is the measure of the amount of force acting on a mass due to acceleration due to gravity. |
| Formula | Weight is the measure of the amount of force acting on a mass due to acceleration due to gravity. | Weight is the measure of the gravitational force acting on a body. Formula is: Weight = mass × acceleration due to gravity |
| Quantity Type | Mass is a base quantity. Mass only has magnitude and so, it is a scalar quantity. |
Weight is a derived quantity. Weight has both magnitude and direction (towards the center of gravity) and so, it is a vector quantity unit unit |
| Unit of Measurement | The SI unit of mass is the kilogram (kg). | The SI unit of weight is Newton (N). |
| Gravitational Effect | Mass does not depend upon gravity and is constant everywhere. Mass can never be zero. |
Weight is dependent on gravity and so, it varies from place to place. Weight can be zero where there is no gravity (like space). |
| Meaning | Mass is the measure of inertia. | Weigh is the measure of force. |
| location | It stays the same everywhere, irrespective of location. | Weight will vary depending on the location. |
| Physical Quantity | Mass is a scalar quantity. It has magnitude. | It is a vector quantity. It’s got the magnitude and directs toward the Earth’s center or other gravity. |
| SI Unit | The SI unit of mass is the kilogram (kg). | Weight’s SI unit is Newton (N).v |
| Measurement | We measure it using an ordinary balance. For instance, pan balance, beam balance, etc. | We can measure weight using a spring balance. |
| Denotation | ‘M’ is used to denote Mass. | We use ‘W’ to denote weight. |
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