Difference between Mass and volume

AI Thread Summary
Mass refers to the amount of matter in an object, while volume is the space that matter occupies. Volume remains constant regardless of the material, as demonstrated by objects of different densities having the same volume. The relationship between mass and volume is expressed in the equation m=p*V, where mass equals density multiplied by volume. Inertial mass relates to how an object responds to forces, while gravitational mass is linked to the attraction between masses; both types of mass are considered equivalent based on current scientific understanding. Understanding these concepts is essential for foundational physics knowledge.
kwmwtaj
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
OK, I've googled it, I've tried to make sense of it, but I still have this one thing in my head that doesn't go away. Mass vs volume.

What is the difference between the two. If mass is the amount of matter,matter contains and volume is the space enclosed by matter; then it's basically saying how much space there is in an object or shape? Also I keep stumbling upon that there are different types of mass like inertial mass or gravitational mass, are they classified by a formula of such?

Reason why I'm asking is because I'm starting to learn physics in a book to get ready for college since I've lost a lot of memory since high school.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Volume does not depend on matter, simply put it is the amount of 3D space in a certain place or object.

For example, if i have an iron ball that is same size as a ping pong ball they will both have the same volume, because the matter inside the space of either ball does not determine the Volume. You could have a piece space with nothing in it but it would still have Volume.

Both mass and volume are linked in the equation:
m=p*V (Mass = Density * Volume)

This basically means that the mass of an object is equal to the density of its material multipled by the space it takes up.
 
kwmwtaj said:
Also I keep stumbling upon that there are different types of mass like inertial mass or gravitational mass, are they classified by a formula of such?
Inertial and gravitational mass are equivalent as far as we know. Newton's 2nd law gives an inertial mass relationship between net force and acceleration. The force gravitational 'attraction' of masses per F=mMG/r^2 relates to gravitational mass. But they are one and the same until proven otherwise.
 
The notion of gravitational and inertial mass arises because there are two different ways to look at mass. First and foremost, mass decides how readily or reluctantly a body will respond to forces that other bodies exert on it. This mass is known as the inertial mass. For example, you can easily topple a vase because its mass is small. However, you can't topple a filing cabinet even if you apply the same force to it because its mass is considerably bigger.

Mass is also the source of gravitational interaction between bodies. A body will attract all other bodies which have mass through its gravitational field. In other words, just because an object has mass, it gives rise to gravitational potential which in turn gives rise to gravitational field. That;s why this type of mass is known as the gravitational mass.

If I remember correctly there has been an experiment which proved that the inertial and gravitational masses are equivalent, i.e. they are essentially one and the same. The same mass acts both as a source of gravity and as a means to respond to gravitational interaction from other bodies.
 
Thread 'Variable mass system : water sprayed into a moving container'
Starting with the mass considerations #m(t)# is mass of water #M_{c}# mass of container and #M(t)# mass of total system $$M(t) = M_{C} + m(t)$$ $$\Rightarrow \frac{dM(t)}{dt} = \frac{dm(t)}{dt}$$ $$P_i = Mv + u \, dm$$ $$P_f = (M + dm)(v + dv)$$ $$\Delta P = M \, dv + (v - u) \, dm$$ $$F = \frac{dP}{dt} = M \frac{dv}{dt} + (v - u) \frac{dm}{dt}$$ $$F = u \frac{dm}{dt} = \rho A u^2$$ from conservation of momentum , the cannon recoils with the same force which it applies. $$\quad \frac{dm}{dt}...
TL;DR Summary: I came across this question from a Sri Lankan A-level textbook. Question - An ice cube with a length of 10 cm is immersed in water at 0 °C. An observer observes the ice cube from the water, and it seems to be 7.75 cm long. If the refractive index of water is 4/3, find the height of the ice cube immersed in the water. I could not understand how the apparent height of the ice cube in the water depends on the height of the ice cube immersed in the water. Does anyone have an...
Back
Top