alternitive methods of measuring the mass of an object other than using a top pan balance or scales???

Answer 1

Displacement.
Put object in water and measure the displacement, then shout Eureka !

Answer 2

The displacement method could be used - but not if you let the object sink. Instead, float some boat-like receptacle (say a margarine tub) in a container of water filled right up to the brim. Place the object in the boat, and measure the volume of water displaced. Water weighs 1kg per litre (near enough), and the mass of water displaced will be the same as the mass of the object.

But the spring balance method would be fine too. It works for fish ;-)

Answer 3

A pulley with known weights on one end and the unknown mass at the other ... be careful about letting go when it's not perfectly balanced though :)

With spring of fixed length, the period of the oscillation will be proportional to the square root of the mass. Measure period with known mass, then repeat with the unknown. The ratio of the periods will be ratio of square roots of masses!

Air track / momentum method: if you have an air track (frictionless track) then put known mass M on a puc and apply know force using spring for example. Measure speed using timing method - V. Then repeat using the unknown mass (m). Measure speed as v.

If same work has been applied in both cases - so conservation of energy gives

1/2 MV^2 = W.

for both cases. W is same so

MV^2 = mv^2

m = M V^2 / (v^2)

Answer 4

Although perhaps impractical, theoretically, I reckon a torsion spring could be used. With a similar set up to that used in the Cavendish experiment (which can not be adequately detailed here).

This was the first experiment to allow for an accurate calculation of the gravitational constant. This relied upon the mass of metal spheres being accurately known.

Given that the gravitational constant is now known to be appoximately 9.81m/s-2. The same method as that of the original (detailed in the included links), but with the spheres replaced with the given object, could be used to derive the mass.

Answer 5

Displacement would not work. Two objects with the same volume but different mass would displace the same volume of water, assuming that they are both denser than water. You would have to weigh the objects underwater and that was ruled out as a condition. Anotherhumanmale has the best answer.

Answer 6

Spin the mass with a motor. calculate velocityot the spin. Measure energy used to make it spin.
Take the energy of the spin In Joules and divided it by the velocity square(m/sec)^2.You now have obtained the value of the mass in kilograrams

Answer 7

1. Attaching it to a spring (with a known spring constant) and measuring its period of oscillation.

2. From an elastic collision with another object of known mass.

Answer 8

i'm guessing that with a stability you could promptly evaluate a mass with a hassle-free mass. in case you utilize a scale, you first would desire to calibrate it with a hassle-free mass, and thereafter wish that it hasn't long gone out of calibration.

Answer 9

Put something in orbit around it and use Kepler's Third Law.

Answer 10

Look up Archimedes' principle.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buoyancy