The mass of a body is a fundamental property that measures the amount of matter it contains.
Understanding Mass
- Matter: Anything that occupies space and has weight.
- Mass: A measure of the inertia of an object, its resistance to changes in motion.
- Weight: The force exerted on an object due to gravity.
Key Points:
- Constant: The mass of a body remains constant regardless of its location or the gravitational field it experiences.
- Scalar Quantity: Mass is a scalar quantity, meaning it only has magnitude and no direction.
- Units: The standard unit of mass is the kilogram (kg).
Examples:
- A car has a greater mass than a bicycle, meaning it contains more matter and is harder to accelerate or decelerate.
- A feather and a rock may have the same weight on Earth due to gravity, but the rock has a greater mass because it contains more matter.
