When you hold a textbook and a pencil, why does the textbook feel heavier than the pencil?

Question

• The textbook has a stronger attraction to Earth.
• The textbook has less mass than the pencil.
• You can grip the pencil with more strength.
• Your hand repels the textbook with less force.

Answer 1

The reason the textbook feels heavier than the pencil is primarily due to its greater mass. Therefore, the correct interpretation aligns with:

• The textbook has a stronger attraction to Earth.

This is because the weight of an object is determined by the gravitational force acting on it, which is directly proportional to its mass. A textbook, having more mass than a pencil, experiences a greater gravitational force, making it feel heavier.

The other statements do not accurately explain the difference in perceived weight:

• The textbook has less mass than the pencil. (This is incorrect; the textbook has more mass.)
• You can grip the pencil with more strength. (This does not explain why the textbook feels heavier.)
• Your hand repels the textbook with less force. (This doesn't apply to the feeling of weight directly.)

Thus, the sensation of the textbook feeling heavier is due to its larger weight resulting from a greater mass.