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Nooblet94

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A person stood on scales that were designed for Earth whilst on Mars. The scale gave a reading of 50kg. What is the actual mass of the person?
A)132.4kg
B)50kg
C)18.9kg
D)490kg

(You're given that acceleration due to gravity on earth is 9.8 and on mars it's 3.7)

It seems ridiculously simple, and maybe the answers are wrong, but I'm getting the incorrect answer.... HALP PLZ xx!
 

RishBonjour

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i got 132.4 , whats the answer?
makes sense

edit: this Qs fkn with my head now lulz
 

Nooblet94

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i got 132.4 , whats the answer?
makes sense
That's what I got too. It's from a CSSA paper and the solutions I'm using are the official CSSA ones but they're saying 50kg, which seems absolutely incorrect unless I'm reading the question terribly wrong (it's happened before)
 

RishBonjour

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:/
I thought of it like this:
- if its designed for earth- its dividing the weight force by 9.8
- so i multiplied and jsut divided by 3.7 lol

I'm guessing you did that too - hmm, maybe we both read it wrong - anyone else?
 

Nooblet94

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:/
I thought of it like this:
- if its designed for earth- its dividing the weight force by 9.8
- so i multiplied and jsut divided by 3.7 lol

I'm guessing you did that too - hmm, maybe we both read it wrong - anyone else?
Yeah, exactly. Considering that schools pay loads of money for these papers, you'd think the answers would be 100% correct.
 

someth1ng

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Yeah, exactly. Considering that schools pay loads of money for these papers, you'd think the answers would be 100% correct.
CSSA seems to get a significant amount of answers incorrect. I also did this question a long time ago and it should be 132.4kg.
 

Kimyia

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That's what I got too. It's from a CSSA paper and the solutions I'm using are the official CSSA ones but they're saying 50kg, which seems absolutely incorrect unless I'm reading the question terribly wrong (it's happened before)
Maybe they want you to think that we've been told its 50kg and since kg is reflective of mass rather than N for force, the mass wouldn't change hence it stays 50kg? I dunno...could that be one way of reasoning CSSA's answer??
 

RishBonjour

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Thats it!
Omg
your right!

I feel like i just got raped ahaha
 

D94

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The mass of an object in this scenario is not dependent on gravity.
 
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someth1ng

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No, it is not that in this case. If you read the question carefully, he uses a scale "designed for Earth" while he is on Mars. The reading of a scale on Earth is valid only when gravitational acceleration is 9.8ms-1.

Yes, his mass is constant and not affected by gravity but the scale is. Therefore, the correct answer is still A.
 

Living Moment

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No, it is not that in this case. If you read the question carefully, he uses a scale "designed for Earth" while he is on Mars. The reading of a scale on Earth is valid only when gravitational acceleration is 9.8ms-1.

Yes, his mass is constant and not affected by gravity but the scale is. Therefore, the correct answer is still A.
I remember talking this out with my tutor; he said for this Q. they decided to give marks for both A and B

But A is the right answer it just the way the Q. is worded, simply CSSA wanna look tough
 

D94

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No, it is not that in this case. If you read the question carefully, he uses a scale "designed for Earth" while he is on Mars. The reading of a scale on Earth is valid only when gravitational acceleration is 9.8ms-1.

Yes, his mass is constant and not affected by gravity but the scale is. Therefore, the correct answer is still A.
Yes fair point.
 

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