Mass: Comparing, adding and subtracting

​​In a nutshell

Mass is how you describe how heavy an object is. You can compare the weights of objects using mass and you can use a weighing scale or balance to find and compare masses of objects.

Comparing mass

​Heavier objects have greater mass, so a $$500g$$​ pot is heavier than a $$100g$$​ fork. Remember that you can only compare masses if they have the same unit; a $$150g$$​book is not heavier than a $$5kg$$​ chair! Use this equation to convert between units:

$$1000g = 1kg$$

Adding and subtracting mass

Procedure

Examples

How much heavier is a $$2.3kg$$​ paperweight compared to a $$750g$$​ bottle of water?

​$$2.3kg = 2300g$$​​

$$2300 - 750 =\underline{1550g}$$

What is the combined weight of the paperweight and the bottle of water?

$$2.3kg = 2300g$$

$$2300 + 750 = \underline{3050g}$$