Does Weight Matter? - Activity

Materials List: Does Weight Matter?

spring scales, preferably having a 500 g capacity and 5-10 g accuracy, one per team of 2 to 4 student; Ohaus makes one that works well for this exercise; it is available from suppliers such as Ward for about $6
ceramic coffee mugs, one per team of 2-4 students (have students bring these from home or purchased them from thrift stores)
scissors (one per team)
tape (masking or wide transparent), one roll per team or one roll shared between two teams
string, about 30 cm per team
several standard weight sets, ranging from 50 - 200 g; alternatively, use large metal washers tied together in groups to make up weights of ~50, 100 and 200 g or plastic bags filled with pennies, sand, gravel, nails or similar objects; two groups of students can share a set of weights, if necessary