Weight
Weight is a term commonly misused in our everyday life. Weight is a force measured in Newtons. The apparent ‘weight’ that our bodies supposedly weigh is measured in kg, and more correctly should be called MASS.
Here on Earth, we do not sink into the ground or slip everywhere because we are pulled down onto the earth’s surface by gravity, which is 10N/kg. For example, if you hang an object from a spring balance, you measure a downward pull from the Earth. This pull is called GRAVITATIONAL FORCE.
To work out weight, you may use the following formula:
Weight = mass x gravity
W = m x g
Example 1: Jeremy has a mass of 63kg. What is his weight?
Weight = mass x gravity
= 63 x 10
= 630 NEWTONS
Every single part of our bodies is pulled by gravity. This is complicated, so we pretend our weight is a single force acting from our centre. This is called the CENTRE OF GRAVITY.
*Centre of Gravity: the point from which all the weight appears to act*
Here on Earth, we do not sink into the ground or slip everywhere because we are pulled down onto the earth’s surface by gravity, which is 10N/kg. For example, if you hang an object from a spring balance, you measure a downward pull from the Earth. This pull is called GRAVITATIONAL FORCE.
To work out weight, you may use the following formula:
Weight = mass x gravity
W = m x g
Example 1: Jeremy has a mass of 63kg. What is his weight?
Weight = mass x gravity
= 63 x 10
= 630 NEWTONS
Every single part of our bodies is pulled by gravity. This is complicated, so we pretend our weight is a single force acting from our centre. This is called the CENTRE OF GRAVITY.
*Centre of Gravity: the point from which all the weight appears to act*