Homework #1 - Weight and Mass

Weight = mass x gravitational field strength

W=mxg

On Earth, the gravitational field strength, g, is 9.81 N/kg

1. Calculate the weight of the following objects on Earth:

a. A suitcase of mass 22 kg
b. A car of mass 1110 kg.
c. A pencil case of mass 0.3 kg
d. A bag, of mass 1.2 kg, containing 5 books, each of 0.5 kg
e. A tennis ball of mass 58 grams.

2. Calculate the mass of the following objects (the weight as measure on Earth is given):
a. A girl with a weight of 490 N
b. A bag of sugar with a weight of 9.81 N
c. A motorbike with a weight of 2.5 kN

3. Complete the following table:

Scenario Weight, W Mass, m Gravitational Field

Strength, g
Girl on a scooter 60 kg 9.81 N/kg
Moped and rider 1800 N 9.81 N/kg
g. on surface of Ceres 28 N 100 kg
(Dwarf planet)
Dose of medicine 200 milligrams 9.81 N/kg
Airbus A300 – maximum 5500 kN 9.81 N/kg
take-off weight
g. on surface of a 3 kN 1 gram
White-Dwarf star

4. An astronaut, with her space-suit, has a mass of 80 kg. The gravitational field strength
on the Moon is one sixth that on Earth.
a. Calculate the astronaut’s weight on the Moon
b. State what happens to the astronaut’s mass on the Moon.
c. The astronaut travels to Mars where her weight becomes 296 N. Calculate the
gravitational field strength on the surface of Mars.
d. Suggest what you think happens to her weight if she traveled to the surface*
of Jupiter. Explain your answer.
(*i.e. the top of Jupiter’s very thick atmosphere)
 Classwork #1 – Mass and Weight

1. The force of gravity acting on an 7. A car has a weight of 10 000 N.

object is called…? What is the mass of the car on
a) Its mass Earth (g = 10 N/kg)?
b) Its weight
c) Its downforce

8. What is a newton meter?

2. Mass is?
a) A unit for speed
a) A measure of the amount of
b) A calibrated spring-balance
matter in an object
c) A unit for weight
b) A force
c) Measured in newtons, N

9. Which of the following statements

is false?
3. A force of 1N is approximately the
a) Weight is a vector quantity
force needed to lift?
b) Weight is measured in
a) A sugar cube
newtons, N
b) An apple
c) The weight of an object is the
c) A car
same on the Earth and the
Moon

4. What is the gravitational field

strength of the Earth?
10. A girl has a weight of 88 N on the
a) 10 N/kg
moon, where g = 1.6 N/kg. What is
b) 1.6 N/kg
her mass?
c) 25 N/kg

5. How is weight calculated?

a) Weight = mass x gravitational
field strength
b) Weight = gravitational field
strength ÷ mass
11. An object has a mass of 9 kg.
c) Weight = mass ÷ gravitational
a) What is its weight on the
field strength
Earth?

6. What is the weight of a 40 kg child

on Earth (g = 10 N/kg)?
b) What is its weight on the
Moon?
c) What is its weight on Mars?
(Mars has a gravitational field
strength one-third of that of
the Earth.)