Understanding the Concepts
* Weight (Force): The force of gravity acting on an object's mass. Measured in Newtons (N).
* Mass: The amount of matter in an object. Measured in kilograms (kg).
* Acceleration due to gravity (g): The acceleration experienced by objects due to Earth's gravity, approximately 9.8 m/s².
Formula
The relationship between weight, mass, and acceleration due to gravity is:
Weight (W) = Mass (m) * Acceleration due to gravity (g)
Solving for Mass
1. Rearrange the formula: m = W / g
2. Plug in the values: m = 7840 N / 9.8 m/s²
3. Calculate: m ≈ 800 kg
Therefore, the geologist should estimate the mass of the boulder to be approximately 800 kg.
