Definition:Mass

Definition

The mass of a body is a fundamental physical quantity related to how much matter it contains.

Mass is equivalent to inertia.

Mass also determines the degree to which a body creates or is affected by a gravitational field.

It is a scalar quantity.

Symbol

The usual symbol used to denote the mass of a body is $m$.

Dimension

Mass is one of the fundamental dimensions of physics.

In dimensional analysis it is assigned the symbol $\mathsf M$.

Units

The units of measurement of mass are as follows:

• The SI unit of mass is the kilogram $\mathrm {kg}$.

• The CGS unit of mass is the gram $\mathrm g$.

• The FPS unit of mass is the pound $\mathrm {lb}$.

Thus:

$1 \ \mathrm {kg} = 10^3 \ \mathrm g$

$1 \ \mathrm {lb} = 0.453 \, 592 \, 37 \ \mathrm{kg}$

Sources

• 1921: C.E. Weatherburn: Elementary Vector Analysis ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $\text I$. Addition and Subtraction of Vectors. Centroids: Definitions: $1$. Scalar and vector quantities
• 1951: B. Hague: An Introduction to Vector Analysis (5th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $\text I$: Definitions. Elements of Vector Algebra: $1$. Scalar and Vector Quantities
• 1960: M.B. Glauert: Principles of Dynamics ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $1$: Vector Algebra: $1.1$ Definition of a Vector
• 1965: J.W. Leech: Classical Mechanics (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $\text {I}$: Introduction
• 1966: Isaac Asimov: Understanding Physics ... (previous) ... (next): $\text {I}$: Motion, Sound and Heat: Chapter $3$: The Laws of Motion: Mass
• 1969: J.C. Anderson, D.M. Hum, B.G. Neal and J.H. Whitelaw: Data and Formulae for Engineering Students (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): $1.$ Units and Abbreviations: $1.2$ SI units $(1)$ Basic units
• 1970: George Arfken: Mathematical Methods for Physicists (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $1$ Vector Analysis $1.1$ Definitions, Elementary Approach
• 1976: Ralph J. Smith: Circuits, Devices and Systems (3rd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $1$: Electrical Quantities: Definitions and Laws: The International System of Units: Table $1$-$1$ Basic Quantities
• 1989: Ephraim J. Borowski and Jonathan M. Borwein: Dictionary of Mathematics ... (previous) ... (next): mass
• 1992: Frederick W. Byron, Jr. and Robert W. Fuller: Mathematics of Classical and Quantum Physics ... (previous) ... (next): Volume One: Chapter $1$ Vectors in Classical Physics: $1.1$ Geometric and Algebraic Definitions of a Vector
• 1998: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): mass
• 1998: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): scalar quantity
• 2008: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (4th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): mass
• 2008: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (4th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): scalar quantity