why would you need to divide mass by gravity?
Dividing mass by gravity is often done to calculate weight. Weight is the force of gravity acting on an object, and it is calculated by multiplying the mass of the object by the acceleration due to gravity. The formula is:
Weight = mass × gravity
By dividing mass by gravity, we can find the weight of an object. This calculation is commonly used in physics, engineering, and other fields where understanding the gravitational force acting on an object is important.
Dividing mass by gravity is necessary when you want to find the weight of an object. The weight of an object is the force with which it is pulled towards the Earth due to gravity. The formula to calculate weight is given by W = mg, where W represents the weight, m represents the mass, and g represents the acceleration due to gravity.
To understand why we divide mass by gravity, we need to look at the units involved. In the International System of Units (SI), the unit of mass is the kilogram (kg), and the unit of acceleration due to gravity is meters per second squared (m/s²). Therefore, when we multiply mass (kg) by acceleration due to gravity (m/s²), we obtain the weight in newtons (N), which is the unit for force.
For example, if an object has a mass of 10 kg and is on the Earth's surface where the acceleration due to gravity is approximately 9.8 m/s², you can calculate its weight using the formula: W = 10 kg * 9.8 m/s² = 98 N.
So, dividing mass by gravity allows us to convert mass into weight, giving us the force with which an object is attracted towards the Earth.
You multiply, not divide, mass by gravity to get weight, which is a force.
Mass is a characteristic of the material. It is the same here and on the moon or anywhere.
Weight, the force the mass exerts down on a scale, depends on the local gravitational acceleration and is for example 1/6 as large on the moon as here on earth.