Does the weight scale actually measure the weight or the mass ?
Does the weight scale actually measure the weight or the mass ?
Nice question !!
Weighing scales/machines are devices to measure weight.The basic principle of working of a weighing scale is GRAVITY. It actually measures the value of Normal Reactions acting on it.
Where a Normal Reaction acting on it will be N=mg.
Now, you might have a doubt, “ Why these weighing scales are measured in ‘KG’ instead of ’N’ when it is used to measure the value of Normal reaction?”
It’s simple , the calibrations are done in such a way to display mass as output. It means that the calibration scale is set to 1: 9.81 ratio. ( So if you are weighing 981 N force on the machine, it will be experiencing the same amount of Normal reaction on it. Therefore, it’ll be displaying as 100 kg instead of 981 in display scale of the machine.)
Moreover, we know g= 9.81 N/m2 and it varies from every point to point. Although the variation is negligible, this is the reason you’ll be weighing differently in different places.
The Gravitational Pull on Moon is approximately 84% lesser than that of on the earth. If your weighing machine shows you’re 100kg on earth , then the same machine will show that you’ll be 16.4kg on Moon. ( Weight loss hack :p)
So it’s your weight that’ll be varying from place to place , but your mass will be the same through out the UNIVERSE.
Hope, You got some idea.
Nice question !!
Weighing scales/machines are devices to measure weight.The basic principle of working of a weighing scale is GRAVITY. It actually measures the value of Normal Reactions acting on it.
Where a Normal Reaction acting on it will be N=mg.
Now, you might have a doubt, “ Why these weighing scales are measured in ‘KG’ instead of ’N’ when it is used to measure the value of Normal reaction?”
It’s simple , the calibrations are done in such a way to display mass as output. It means that the calibration scale is set to 1: 9.81 ratio. ( So if you are weighing 981 N force on the machine, it will be experiencing the same amount of Normal reaction on it. Therefore, it’ll be displaying as 100 kg instead of 981 in display scale of the machine.)
Moreover, we know g= 9.81 N/m2 and it varies from every point to point. Although the variation is negligible, this is the reason you’ll be weighing differently in different places.
The Gravitational Pull on Moon is approximately 84% lesser than that of on the earth. If your weighing machine shows you’re 100kg on earth , then the same machine will show that you’ll be 16.4kg on Moon. ( Weight loss hack :p)
So it’s your weight that’ll be varying from place to place , but your mass will be the same through out the UNIVERSE.
Hope, You got some idea.
