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Two experiments are conducted to determine the mass of an object.

-In Experiment 1, you place the object on an electronic balance and read the object's weight.
-In Experiment 2, you apply a constant force to pull the object along a horizontal surface, while using a motion detector to measure the object's speed as it is pulled.

All frictional forces for both experiments are considered to be negligible. Which of the two experiments, if either, could be used to determine the gravitational mass of the object?


a. Experiment 2 only
b. Experiment 1 only
c. Neither experiment
d. Both experiments

1 Answer

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Answer: Experiment 1 could be used to check the gravitational mass of an object.

Step-by-step explanation: Gravitational mass can be described as the strength which the gravitational force has on an object when it is present in the gravitational force. An object at rest will experience only the gravitational force. Whereas an object that is pulled along a horizontal surface with a spring scale will have other forces acting on it along with the gravitational force.

To check for the gravitational mass, an object should only have a gravitational force acting upon it. Hence, experiment 1 is the correct option.

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