Question
a) An object has a mass of 15 ,000 kilograms. Which unit is a more sensible unit to measure its mass: grams or tonnes? b) An object has a mass of 0.03 kilograms. Which unit is a more sensible unit to measure its mass: grams or tonnes?
Answer
4.3
(235 Votes)
Francesca
Elite · Tutor for 8 years
Answer
a) tonnes. b) grams.
Explanation
A key part of solving these problems involves understanding the different units for writing the mass. In this problem we use two mass units apart from the kilogram. 1) "grams": A gram is a small amount of mass (1000 grams = 1 kilogram). 2) "tonnes": A tonne is a large mass unit often used for heavy things (1 ton = 1000 kilograms). a) First evaluate 15,000 kilograms in both units: in grams (multiplying by 1000) and in tonnes (dividing by 1000). In comparing both results, it's evident that A tonne gives a cleaner number (15T). Writing this mass in grams gives an unwieldy number (i.e., a large figure that is not convenient for real use). Thus, using 'tonnes' seems more sensible. b) Conversely, .03 kilograms translates to 30 grams or .00003 tonnes. Given these values, it's clear that 'grams' provides a more immediate and meaningful numeral for everyday dealings, while 'tonnes' offers an underwhelming value that’s feels substandard for practical use.