An apple has a mass of 100 g. Calculate its weight on Earth (g = 10 N/kg)
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
To calculate the weight of the apple on Earth, we need to use the formula for weight:Weight=mass×gravitational field strength\text{Weight} = \text{mass} \times \text{gravitational field strength}Weight=mass×gravitational field strength
Where:
- mass is given as 100 g, but we need it in kilograms for consistency with the units for gravitational field strength, so 100 g = 0.1 kg.
- gravitational field strength (g) on Earth is 10 N/kg.
Now, substitute the values into the formula:Weight=0.1 kg×10 N/kg\text{Weight} = 0.1 \, \text{kg} \times 10 \, \text{N/kg}Weight=0.1kg×10N/kgWeight=1 N\text{Weight} = 1 \, \text{N}Weight=1N
So, the weight of the apple is 1 Newton (N).
Explanation:
Weight is the force exerted on an object due to gravity. It depends on the mass of the object and the strength of the gravitational field. On Earth, the gravitational field strength is approximately 10 N/kg, meaning that for every kilogram of mass, the force acting on it due to gravity is 10 Newtons.
The weight of an object can be thought of as how much force gravity exerts on it. Since the mass of the apple is 0.1 kg and Earth’s gravity pulls with a force of 10 N for each kilogram, we multiply the mass by the gravitational field strength to find the weight. Therefore, the apple’s weight is 1 N, meaning gravity pulls it down with a force of 1 Newton.
This weight is different from mass, which is a measure of the amount of matter in an object and does not change depending on location. In contrast, weight can change with the strength of the gravitational field, so an apple would weigh less on the Moon or other planets with weaker gravitational fields.
