Weight Fundamentals

The question asks us to find the approximate weight of an object that has a mass of 1 kilogram (kg). Weight is a measure of the force of gravity acting on an object's mass.

Mass vs. Weight Explained

• Mass: This is the amount of "stuff" or matter in an object. It's constant regardless of location. We measure mass in kilograms (kg).
• Weight: This is the force exerted on an object by gravity. It depends on both the object's mass and the strength of the gravitational field it's in. We measure weight in Newtons (N).

Calculating Weight Formula

The relationship between weight ($W$), mass ($m$), and acceleration due to gravity ($g$) is given by the formula:

$$ W = m \times g $$

Gravity's Approximate Value

The acceleration due to gravity ($g$) on the surface of the Earth is approximately $9.8 \, \text{m/s}^2$. For many calculations and estimations, especially in introductory physics, this value is often rounded to $10 \, \text{m/s}^2$ for simplicity.

Final Weight Calculation

Given:

• Mass ($m$) = $1 \, \text{kg}$
• Approximate acceleration due to gravity ($g$) $\approx 10 \, \text{m/s}^2$

Using the formula:

$$ W = m \times g $$

$$ W \approx 1 \, \text{kg} \times 10 \, \text{m/s}^2 $$

$$ W \approx 10 \, \text{N} $$

Therefore, the weight of an object with a mass of 1 kg is approximately 10 Newtons.

Comparing with Options

The calculated approximate weight is 10 N. Let's compare this with the given options:

• Option 1: 1
• Option 2: 1000
• Option 3: 10
• Option 4: 100

The calculated value matches Option 3.