Mass
Physical quantity of matter in a body – mass
Mass is a physical quantity that expresses the amount of substance in a body. It is the fundamental characteristic of every object, indicating how much matter it contains. Mass is one of the key quantities in physics and engineering, because it affects many aspects of motion and force.
Mass unit
The basic unit of mass in the International System of Units (SI) is the kilogram (kg). Originally, the kilogram was defined as the mass of one liter of water at 4 °C. Today, it is defined based on the Planck constant, ensuring its stability and precision in international measurements.
Smaller and larger mass units
For measuring smaller quantities of mass, units such as grams (g) are used, where 1 g = 0.001 kg, and milligrams (mg), where 1 mg = 0.000001 kg. For larger masses, units like the ton (t) are used, where 1 t = 1000 kg. These units allow precise and practical measurement of mass across different contexts – from laboratory samples to industrial materials.
Measurement tools for mass
Mass can be measured by various instruments, depending on the required accuracy and measurement range. Common scales, such as kitchen or personal scales, are used for everyday measurements. Analytical balances are employed in laboratories for higher precision. For large masses, such as trucks, bridge scales are used.
Mass units in the metric system
The metric system offers several mass units covering a wide range of values. Here are the main units and their conversions:
- Milligrams (mg): 1 mg = 0.000001 kg (one millionth of a kilogram)
- Grams (g): 1 g = 0.001 kg (one thousandth of a kilogram)
- Dekagrams (dag): 1 dag = 0.01 kg (one hundredth of a kilogram)
- Kilograms (kg): 1 kg = basic mass unit
- Tons (t): 1 t = 1000 kg (one thousand kilograms)
These units ensure precise and straightforward mass measurements from the tiniest particles to huge amounts of materials in industrial and scientific applications.