Aunt Jane weighs 145 pounds. What is her weight in Newtons?
The correct answer and explanation is:
To convert Aunt Jane’s weight from pounds to Newtons, you need to use the relationship between pounds and Newtons. The force of gravity on an object (its weight) is measured in Newtons in the metric system. The weight in pounds can be converted to Newtons using the formula: Weight (in Newtons)=Weight (in pounds)×4.44822\text{Weight (in Newtons)} = \text{Weight (in pounds)} \times 4.44822
This is because 1 pound is equal to approximately 4.44822 Newtons.
Calculation:
Aunt Jane weighs 145 pounds. To convert this to Newtons: Weight (in Newtons)=145 pounds×4.44822 N/pound\text{Weight (in Newtons)} = 145 \, \text{pounds} \times 4.44822 \, \text{N/pound} Weight (in Newtons)=645.0 Newtons\text{Weight (in Newtons)} = 645.0 \, \text{Newtons}
So, Aunt Jane’s weight is 645 Newtons.
Explanation:
Weight is the force exerted by gravity on an object, and it depends on the mass of the object and the gravitational field strength. On Earth, the acceleration due to gravity is approximately 9.8 m/s². The pound is a unit of force used primarily in the United States, while the Newton is the standard unit of force in the metric system (SI units). By knowing the conversion factor between pounds and Newtons, you can easily convert weight between these two units.
This conversion is particularly important in scientific contexts, where the metric system is used universally. The use of Newtons instead of pounds ensures consistency in measurements, especially when dealing with other metric units like kilograms and meters.