Mass is a measure of a body’s resistance to acceleration when a force is applied. It also determines the strength of the body’s gravitational attraction to other bodies.

The basic unit of mass in the International System of Units is the kilogram (kg). Mass is often confused with weight, but in physics the meaning is not quite the same. Weight is a force (W), meanwhile mass (m) is a property that determines the strength of this force. 

For instance, an object would weigh less on Mars than it does on Earth, because on Mars the gravitational force is lower. Mass on the other hand would remain the same.

Units of Mass

• 10 milligrams (mg) = 1 centigrams (cg)
• 10 centigrams = 1 decigrams (dg) = 100 milligrams
• 10 decigrams = 1 gram (g)
• 10 decigrams = 1000 milligrams
• 10 grams = 1 dekagrams (dag)
• 10 dekagrams = 1 hectogram (hg)
• 10 dekagrams = 100 grams
• 10 hectograms = 1 kilogram (kg)
• 10 hectograms = 1000 grams
• 1000 kilograms = 1 megagram (Mg) or 1 metric ton (t)

For more information, the formula and other conversions you can use our free Mass Converter.