Who is Heavier? - Kilograms and Grams

Weight and Mass: Weight tells us how heavy an object is. Imagine a 'Tarazu' or a balance scale; the pan containing the heavier object will always sink lower towards the ground, while the pan with the lighter object will move upwards.

Grams ($g$): We use grams to measure the weight of light objects. Think of items like an eraser, a chocolate bar, or a spoon. On a scale, these objects would be balanced using small metal weights labeled $10 g$, $50 g$, or $100 g$.

Kilograms ($kg$): Kilograms are used for measuring heavier objects like a bag of rice, a big pumpkin, or your school bag. A kilogram is much larger than a gram. In drawings, these objects look much bulkier and would require large weights like $1 kg$ or $5 kg$ to balance.

The Relationship Rule: The most important connection to remember is that $1$ kilogram is equal to $1000$ grams ($1 \text{ kg} = 1000 \text{ g}$). Visually, it would take one thousand tiny $1$-gram weights to balance just one $1$-kilogram block on a scale.

Balancing the Scale: A balance scale is perfectly horizontal (a straight flat line) only when the weights on both sides are exactly equal. If you see a drawing where the needle in the middle is pointing straight up, it means the weights in both pans are the same.

Size vs. Weight: Remember that a bigger object is not always heavier. For example, a large balloon filled with air is bigger in size but much lighter than a small cricket ball made of hard wood or leather. On a balance scale, the small cricket ball would pull the pan down lower than the big balloon.

Standard Weights: Shopkeepers use standard weights to measure items. These are often solid blocks of metal with the weight written on top. Common weights include $100 g, 200 g, 500 g, 1 kg, 2 kg,$ and $5 kg$. We can add these together, like using two $500 g$ weights to make exactly $1 kg$.