In science it is known as the amount of matter that a body has, it is one of the physical and fundamental properties of matter. According to the International System of Units, the kilogram (kg) is its unit. In the field of physics, it is a quantitative measure of inertia, it is the opposition or resistance of a body to a change in its speed or position on the application of a force.
What is mass
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The word dough originates from the Latin massa, which comes from the Greek madza, alluding to a cake made with flour. Since then, the term is used to define the mixture of water and flour. It also presents different interpretations in different aspects.
The mass of a body in terms of physics, is the amount of matter that an object, fluid, gas or other existing element has; that is, the number of atoms and molecules that compose it.
Definition in physics
It refers to a physical property and of magnitude, that is to say, it can be called mass, a unit of measurement, being governed by inertia and gravity.
It should be clarified that mass is not the same as weight, since the latter is the force exerted by gravity on it. Two equal masses located at the same point in a gravitational field will have the same weight.
Inert mass
Or inertial mass, is the resistance of an object to change in motion or to being accelerated, that is, the greater the mass, the less acceleration, and is subject to factors such as its composition or another variable.
In the special theory of relativity, while a body approaches the speed of light, it will present greater difficulty to be accelerated; and due to this, the object will present less response to the forces applied to it.
Gravitational mass
Or gravitational mass, is the attraction that bodies have to each other by gravity, and will depend on the mass of the body, that is, the greater the mass, the greater the attraction of the earth on said object. There is active and passive gravitational mass: the first creates the gravitational field and the second receives the acceleration as a result of being in that field.
According to the physicist Albert Einstein (1879-1955), the inertial and gravitational mass (although conceptually different) are numerically equal (equivalence principle), since the acceleration given by inertia produces the same effects, as if it were given by gravitation.
Definition in chemistry
In chemistry, mass refers to the amount of matter contained in each reactant, in some chemical reaction. It is composed of atoms joined by chemical bonds, forming molecules, that is to say that the greater the number of atoms, the greater their mass.
In this field, mass is an invariable and uniform dimension, even when it is subjected to a reaction (Law of Conservation of Mass), so the quantities of mass will remain the same even if its structure changes.
Molecular mass
It is a measurement that denotes how many times the mass of a molecule of a substance is greater than the unit of its atomic mass. To calculate it, the relative atomic masses of the atoms that make it up must be added. It will be expressed in atomic mass units, the amu (u), used in chemistry and physics; or dalton (Da), used especially in biochemistry. Both units are equivalent.
It should not be confused with molar mass, since it refers to the mole mass (as many units exist in 0.012 kg of carbon 12) of a compound, even though both masses (molecular and molar) coincide numerically.
For example, carbon dioxide (CO2) would be a molecule made up of one carbon atom (whose relative atomic mass is 12.0107) and two oxygen (15.9994), so its molecular mass would be 44, 0095.
Atomic mass
This is the mass of an atom; or the sum of the number of neutrons and protons in an atom that remains at rest, and the unit in which it is expressed is unified atomic mass (u) or dalton (Da), as in molecular mass.
For its calculation, the average of the isotopes of each chemical element is taken as a basis, considering their relative abundance. The atomic mass of an isotope is the same as the mass of its nucleons. It must be differentiated from atomic weight, since it depends on gravity, while atomic mass is a property.
Other definitions of mass
In electricity
In electricity, the mass is known as a metal cover and support of an electrical device that is connected to one of the poles of the current source, normally connected to ground.
In this case, the function of the electric mass is to provide a return path of low impedance (resistance) towards the electrical source of a circuit; Therefore, if there is any problem in the insulation, the energy will flow through this path and will prevent a person from receiving high voltage and being the conduction path.
In the kitchen
In gastronomy, flour is called "dough" in combination with a liquid, usually water, to which other ingredients can be added, being the basis for multiple purposes in the kitchen. In the culinary dictionary, it is given the French term détempre, which means to dilute.
Among the main variations are pizza dough, breads, cakes, tortillas, cookies, and empanadas, among others. It can be subjected to multiple cooking techniques: baked, fried, cooked, steamed and boiled.
In sociology
At the social level, it is the large group of people, animals or things that form a whole or a large crowd. According to the sociologist Gustav Le Bon (1841-1931), the masses are made up of individuals with different characteristics, who together make up a community under which they are governed, acting as a collective subject; characterized by being emotional, influential and irrational in their actions.
Body mass
It is the amount of matter found in the human body, and it is linked to the Body Mass Index, which is a calculation resulting from the proportion of a person's weight and size, to determine if they are healthy.
History of the dough
Physicists Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) and René Descartes (1596-1650) philosophized about the concept, but it was Sir Isaac Newton who defined mass based on the relationship of the rules of Universal Gravitation and Newton's Second Law. The first describes the gravitational interrelation of two bodies with mass; and the second, establishes that the force applied to a body will be directly proportional to its mass and acceleration.
It is presumed that the origin of its measurement comes from Sumeria (Mesopotamia), in response to the need to weigh products that were exchanged in barters. Later in the 19th century, the units, standards, and instruments to measure mass correctly are defined.
