Teacher Resources
QUICK LAB
Mass and Weight
Small groups
15 minutes
MATERIALS
For each group
• balance, triple beam
or electronic
• graph paper
• small objects (5)
• spring scale
For each student
• lab apron
• safety goggles
LAB RATINGS
Teacher Prep —
Student Setup —
Cleanup —
SAFETY INFORMATION
Remind students to review all safety cautions and icons before beginning
this lab.
My Notes
TEACHER NOTES
In this activity, students will identify forces acting on static objects and use
a graph to explore the relationship between mass and weight. The objects
students use should have a variety of masses. Examples of objects include
toy cars, batteries, golf balls, small figurines, and metal washers. Students
may need to use string or tape to attach the objects to the spring scale. If this
is the case, make sure students include the string or tape when they find the
mass of the object.
Skills Focus Practicing Lab Techniques, Constructing Graphs, Identifying
Patterns
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MODIFICATION FOR
Have students research the relationship between mass and weight. Students should develop
a hypothesis about the relationship between these two quantities and design an experiment
to test this hypothesis. Allow students to proceed with all reasonable experiments.
Answer Key
3. The graph is linear; as mass increases, so does weight.
Teacher Prompt What does a graph tell us about the two quantities involved?
Sample answer: The shape of the graph shows how changes in one quantity affect
the other quantity.
4. Sample answer: the force of the spring pulling upward
ScienceFusion
Module H Lab Manual
1
Original content Copyright © by Holt McDougal. Alterations to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor .
Unit 1, Lesson 1
Introduction to Matter
Name _________________________________ Class __________________ Date _________________________
QUICK LAB
Mass and Weight
In this lab, you will compare the mass and weight of five different
objects using a balance and a spring scale.
OBJECTIVE
• Describe the
relationship
between mass and
weight.
PROCEDURE
MATERIALS
Using a triple-beam or electronic balance, measure the mass
of five small objects. Record the masses in grams in the space
below.
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Using a spring scale, find the weight of the same five objects.
Record the weights in consistent units.
For each group
• balance, triple
beam or
electronic
• graph paper
• small objects (5)
• spring scale
For each student
• lab apron
• safety goggles
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On a piece of graph paper, make a graph of weight versus mass using your
five objects. In the space below, write a sentence that describes the relationship
between weight and mass.
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The objects were not moving when you measured their weights. What was
balancing the force of gravity pulling them downward?
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ScienceFusion
Module H Lab Manual
2
Original content Copyright © by Holt McDougal. Alterations to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor .
Unit 1, Lesson 1
Introduction to Matter