A student wants to compare the two fundamental notions of mass used in mechanics
PHYSICS · Subjective · AP · Physics 1: Algebra-based · Force and Translational Dynamics · Force and Translational Dynamics
Problem
A student wants to compare the two fundamental notions of mass used in mechanics.
(i) Define inertial mass and gravitational mass.
(ii) State two experimental principles by which each of the above types of mass is measured in an ordinary laboratory.
(iii) Describe, step by step, how the same body could be examined with an inertial balance and with a beam balance so as to verify that the numerical values of its inertial and gravitational masses are equal within experimental error. State the observations you would expect if the two masses are indeed equal.