Re: Measurement of mass

[Joel Rauber <Joel_Rauber@SDSTATE.EDU>]

> Hi friends,
> There was a question I saw in a book:
> The measurement of mass can be done by a beam balance, which
> is reliable
> only if the gravitational field is uniform. A spring balance
> would measure
> the correct weight (hence mass) if the force constant k is
> constant. The
> question is then: is there a method to measure mass/weight which is
> independent of the two assumptions described (i.e. indept of
> g field and
> k)?
>
> rom

With one spring and no set of standard masses, you can not determine the
mass of the object with a spring balance *and* no other assumptions, e.g.
that you guarrantee the measurement is done in an inertial frame of
reference. This is germane to the whole discussion.

Joel