Without any further context, I would say you are correct -- sum of the individual masses.rudy said:Homework Statement
This equation is on a formula sheet for an exam and I'm not sure what type of problem it even applies to.
Homework Equations
M = ∑mi
(The i is supposed to be written as a subscript in this equation)
The Attempt at a Solution
Total mass = sum of individual masses? This seems too obvious. Is this really the answer?
rudy said:The formula sheet is for an exam on conservation of energy, Newton's laws and momentum / collisions.
Thanks in advance
In this equation, M represents the total mass, ∑ represents the summation symbol, and mi represents the individual masses being added together.
This equation is commonly used in various scientific fields, such as physics, chemistry, and biology, to calculate the total mass of a system by adding together the masses of its individual components.
Yes, this equation can be used for any type of mass, whether it is the mass of atoms, molecules, or larger objects.
Yes, this equation is related to the concept of conservation of mass, which states that mass cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred or converted into different forms.
To solve this equation, you would first need to gather the values for each individual mass (mi) and then add them together using the summation symbol (∑). The resulting value is the total mass (M) of the system.