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Weight
In science and engineering, the weight of an object is related to the amount of force acting on the object, either due to gravity or to a reaction force that holds it in place.
Some standard textbooks define weight as a vector quantity, the gravitational force acting on the object. Others define weight as a scalar quantity, the magnitude of the gravitational force. Others define it as the magnitude of the reaction force exerted on a body by mechanisms that keep it in place: the weight is the quantity that is measured by, for example, a spring scale. Thus, in a state of free fall, the weight would be zero. In this sense of weight, terrestrial objects can be weightless: ignoring air resistance, the famous apple falling from the tree, on its way to meet the ground near Isaac Newton, would be weightless.
The unit of measurement for weight is that of force, which in the International System of Units (SI) is the newton. For example, an object with a mass of one kilogram has a weight of about 9.8 newtons on the surface of the Earth, and about one-sixth as much on the Moon. Although weight and mass are scientifically distinct quantities, the terms are often confused with each other in everyday use (i.e. comparing and converting force weight in pounds to mass in kilograms and vice versa).
Further complications in elucidating the various concepts of weight have to do with the theory of relativity according to which gravity is modelled as a consequence of the curvature of spacetime. In the teaching community, a considerable debate has existed for over half a century on how to define weight for their students. The current situation is that a multiple set of concepts co-exist and find use in their various contexts.
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Weight (noun)
The force on an object due to the gravitational attraction between it and the Earth (or whatever astronomical object it is primarily influenced by).
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Weight (noun)
An object used to make something heavier.
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Weight (noun)
A standardized block of metal used in a balance to measure the mass of another object.
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Weight (noun)
Importance or influence.
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Weight (noun)
A disc of iron, dumbbell, or barbell used for training the muscles.
“He’s working out with weights.”
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Weight (noun)
Mass (net weight, atomic weight, molecular weight, troy weight, carat weight, etc.).
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Weight (noun)
A variable which multiplies a value for ease of statistical manipulation.
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Weight (noun)
The smallest cardinality of a base.
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Weight (noun)
The boldness of a font; the relative thickness of its strokes.
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Weight (noun)
The relative thickness of a drawn rule or painted brushstroke, line weight.
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Weight (noun)
The illusion of mass.
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Weight (noun)
The thickness and opacity of paint.
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Weight (noun)
Pressure; burden.
“the weight of care or business”
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Weight (noun)
The resistance against which a machine acts, as opposed to the power which moves it.
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Weight (noun)
Shipments of (often illegal) drugs.
“He was pushing weight.”
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Weight (verb)
To add weight to something; to make something heavier.
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Weight (verb)
To load, burden or oppress someone.
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Weight (verb)
To assign weights to individual statistics.
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Weight (verb)
To bias something; to slant.
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Weight (verb)
To handicap a horse with a specified weight.
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Weight (verb)
To give a certain amount of force to a throw, kick, hit, etc.
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Capacity (noun)
The ability to hold, receive or absorb
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Capacity (noun)
A measure of such ability; volume
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Capacity (noun)
The maximum amount that can be held
“It was hauling a capacity load.”
“The orchestra played to a capacity crowd.”
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Capacity (noun)
Capability; the ability to perform some task
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Capacity (noun)
The maximum that can be produced.
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Capacity (noun)
Mental ability; the power to learn
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Capacity (noun)
A faculty; the potential for growth and development
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Capacity (noun)
A role; the position in which one functions
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Capacity (noun)
Legal authority (to make an arrest for example)
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Capacity (noun)
Electrical capacitance.
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Capacity (noun)
The maximum that can be produced on a machine or in a facility or group.
“Its capacity rating was 150 tons per hour, but its actual maximum capacity was 200 tons per hour.”
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Capacity (adjective)
Filling the allotted space.
“There will be a capacity crowd at Busch stadium for the sixth game.”