Question

You have a bag of cotton and an iron bar, each indicating a mass of 100 kg when measured on a weighing machine. In reality, one is heavier than other. Can you say which one is heavier and why? Define mass. Is it scalar or vector quantity?
[3 MARKS]

Answer 1

Each point: 1 Mark

1. The cotton bag is heavier than the iron bar. The cotton bag experiences larger up thrust of air than the iron bar. So, the weighing machine indicates a smaller mass for cotton bag than its actual mass.
2. The mass of a body is the quantity of matter contained in it.
3. It is a scalar quantity.