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inertial mass

noun

, Physics.
  1. the mass of a body as determined by the second law of motion from the acceleration of the body when it is subjected to a force that is not due to gravity.
  2. the measure of the property of inertia. Compare Eötvös experiment, inertia ( def 2a ), gravitational mass.


inertial mass

noun

  1. the mass of a body as determined by its momentum, as opposed to gravitational mass. The acceleration of a falling body is inversely proportional to its inertial mass but directly proportional to its gravitational mass: as all falling bodies have the same constant acceleration the two types of mass must be equal
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


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Example Sentences

Inertial mass is the amount of matter in an object, the measure of the resistance an object has when a force pushes it.

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