Final answer:
The spring scale connected to an 8 kg mass in static equilibrium would read 8 kg, as the scale measures the weight of the mass which is directly proportional to its mass in kilograms under Earth's gravity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks to determine the reading of a spring scale that is connected to a mass m = 8 kg. In such a setup, assuming it is a system in static equilibrium with the mass hanging vertically, the reading on the spring scale would be equivalent to the weight of the mass due to gravity. The weight (W) can be calculated using the formula W = mg, where m is the mass and g is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.81 m/s²).
W = 8 kg × 9.81 m/s² = 78.48 N
The spring scale reads in kilograms, so we must convert the force in newtons to a mass in kilograms that would produce the same force. Since we already calculated the force due to the 8 kg mass, we can simply state that the spring scale would read 8 kg.