How does one measure the mass/weight of a mountain?

Answer 1

using double integrals, one can find the 'volume' of a mountain. of course, a coordinate system would be set up and equations for the mountains "surface" would have to be found. but they probably use some computer program for that (they meaning geologists or archaeologists). the computer probably computes a volume and then an average density would be found by knowing what types of minerals and rocks make up the mountain, assuming it is completely solid with no hollow spots you can find the density with the computed volume and density.

Answer 2

as you must already be knowing that to measure a mountain's weight one must know its volume and its density. figuring out average density isn't a tough job, geologists collect samples of rock and other stuff that a mountain is made up of and calculate an average approximate density. figuring out volume is tough...in this case too sattelites collect dimension data about the mountains and feed it into a supercomputer which then integrates the entire data and calculates an approximate volume. now volume times density is mass.

Answer 3

very simple, and of course errors occur
you calculate first the approximate volume of the mountain and then multiply it with the approximate density of the mountain's rock. and there you have it - the mass of the mountain.
multiply it with the gravitational acceleration (g=aprox 9,8) and there you have the weight
the measurement gives an approximative result, of course.

Answer 4

Well, we don't; we cant, all we can do is measure the weight of that type of rock and calculate how much weight would be in rock the size of the mountain.

Answer 5

??? PI x dia. of the base x the height divided by 2, because the mountain is like a cone??? this would give you the volume, well you would have to divide by cubic feet. I cant remember how much a cubic foot of earth weights. sorry.
hope this helped

Answer 6

Ask pawan putra Hanuman.