Question
Define weight in science
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GPT-4o mini
In science, weight is defined as the force exerted on an object due to gravity. It is the product of an object's mass and the acceleration due to gravity acting on it. The formula for calculating weight (W) is given by:
\[ W = m \times g \]
where:
- \( W \) is the weight of the object,
- \( m \) is the mass of the object (measured in kilograms or grams), and
- \( g \) is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately \( 9.81 \, \text{m/s}^2 \) on Earth).
Weight is commonly measured in newtons (N) in the International System of Units (SI), though it can also be expressed in pounds (lbs) in the imperial system. It is important to note that weight is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction, whereas mass is a scalar quantity and does not change regardless of location.
\[ W = m \times g \]
where:
- \( W \) is the weight of the object,
- \( m \) is the mass of the object (measured in kilograms or grams), and
- \( g \) is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately \( 9.81 \, \text{m/s}^2 \) on Earth).
Weight is commonly measured in newtons (N) in the International System of Units (SI), though it can also be expressed in pounds (lbs) in the imperial system. It is important to note that weight is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction, whereas mass is a scalar quantity and does not change regardless of location.