# Mass

• cast iron weight used for balances – mass: 2 kg (4.44 lb) height: 4.9 cm (1.9 in); width: 9.2 cm (3.6 in)
classical mechanics part of a series of articles about ${\displaystyle {\vec {f}}=m{\vec {a}}}$second law of motion branches applied celestial continuum dynamics kinematics kinetics statics statistical fundamentals acceleration angular momentum couple d'alembert's principle energy kinetic potential force frame of reference inertial frame of reference impulse inertia / moment of inertia mass mechanical power mechanical work moment momentum space speed time torque velocity virtual work formulations newton's laws of motion analytical mechanics lagrangian mechanicshamiltonian mechanicsrouthian mechanicshamilton–jacobi equationappell's equation of motionkoopman–von neumann mechanics core topics damping (ratio) displacement equations of motion euler's laws of motion fictitious force friction harmonic oscillator inertial / non-inertial reference frame mechanics of planar particle motion motion (linear) newton's law of universal gravitation newton's laws of motion relative velocity rigid body dynamics euler's equations simple harmonic motion vibration rotation circular motion rotating reference frame centripetal force centrifugal force reactive coriolis force pendulum tangential speed rotational speed angular acceleration / displacement / frequency / velocity scientists galileo huygens newton kepler horrocks halley euler d'alembert clairaut lagrange laplace hamilton poisson daniel bernoulli johann bernoulli cauchy categories ► classical mechanics vt

mass is both a property of a physical body and a measure of its resistance to acceleration (a change in its state of motion) when a net force is applied.[1] an object's mass also determines the strength of its gravitational attraction to other bodies.

the basic si unit of mass is the kilogram (kg). in physics, mass is not the same as weight, even though mass is often determined by measuring the object's weight using a spring scale, rather than balance scale comparing it directly with known masses. an object on the moon would weigh less than it does on earth because of the lower gravity, but it would still have the same mass. this is because weight is a force, while mass is the property that (along with gravity) determines the strength of this force.

• phenomena
• units of mass
• definitions
• pre-newtonian concepts
• newtonian mass
• atomic mass
• in relativity
• in quantum physics