What weigh more a pound of bricks a pound of feathers or a pound of chesse?

Answer 1

The correct answer is that they all "weigh" the same : one pound.

They are equal in weight, which is different from density.

There is, however, a physical difference as explained below.

Exception - Pound as a Unit of Mass

They are all very close to having the same weight on Earth but 'pounds' can also be a measurement for mass. The pile of material that has the greatest density would have its center of gravity closest to Earth. As such, gravitational attraction is infinitesimally greater for that material than for the less-dense materials whose centers of gravity are slightly farther away from the center of Earth. In this case, the bricks are more dense than either cheese or feathers, so its weight will be ever-so-slightly heavier than the cheese or feathers.

Another factor that should be considered in this question is the buoyancy provided by the atmosphere of the earth. The material with the smallest volume will displace less air than those with larger volumes. In this case, the bricks, again displace less air. The buoyant force operates opposite to weight so the bricks benefit less from the atmospheric buoyancy, and so, weigh less for that reason, too.

For similarly shaped heaps of bricks, cheese and feathers, all with equal masses, whose bottom surfaces are in contact with a surface the same distance from the center of the earth, the bricks, being densest and less buoyant than the other two materials, will have greater weight than the other materials.

However, if you put each one into an identical box, then close and seal the boxes, there's no way a scale can tell you which one is in any box. They would all weigh one pound.

More on Buoyancy

The common answer is that they "weigh" the same. Assuming you start at STP with a 1 lb mass of each of the substances, the weight, as determined by either a spring or equal arm balance will be slightly different*. Each substance will displace an amount of air equal to its volume and have a buoyant upwards force equivalent to the weight of the displaced air. Thus the denser material will have a proportionately smaller upward force which would translate as a larger downward force in favour of the object. Comparing the densities of the proposed objects means that the feathers would be lighter than the cheese, and both lighter than the bricks.

(* The difference would be immeasurable using any common scale.)

Other users said:

• They all weigh a "pound". Only their densities vary, their weights do not.
• Assuming they all have the same gravitational strength acting on them, they all would weigh the same
• They all weigh the same. A pound is a pound. There would be more feathers than rocks to make it 1 lb. Ths is a classic riddle.
• They all weigh the same, since they are all measured in avoirdupois pounds, although some can argue that the feather weigh more because of their higher specific gravity.

• When we were in college, bricks, cheese, and feathers were all weighed in the same system namely avoirdupois weight. Gemstones and some precious metals are weighed in pounds and ounces whose weight is different from the weight of the avoirdupois units with thesame names. But none of those items appears on the list in this question.
• To put an even finer point on it, we'll assert that a kilogram of bricks, a kilogram of cheese, and a kilogram of feathers each have the same weight, namely 9.8 newtons or 2.205 avoirdupois pounds, on earth. Those numbers will change on the moon, but they'll still be the same numbers for bricks, cheese, and feathers, as well as for several other items ranging from mud and talcum powder to sweat socks and old magazines.
• And to put it yet another way: If you seal either one pound or one kilogram each of bricks, cheese, and feathers in separate but identical cardboard cartons, there is no way to discern any difference among them with a bathroom scale or a triple beam laboratory balance.
• A pound of anything weighs the same amount... "one pound."
• They all weigh the same, one pound.
• They all weigh the same. In the question you are told that weight of each is a pound therefore the weight is the same for all three. The brick, feathers and cheese equally weigh one pound each.
• all the same.
• None does. If we can believe what you've told us, then all three items have the same weight, namely, one pound.
• they all weigh the same due to the fact that a pound is not an amount it is simply a weight, each group of items, bricks, cheese, and feathers, all have enough of them to weigh the same amount.
• I would like to think that the pound of bricks is going to be the heaviest, the pound of cheese is going to be the tastiest, and the the softest.
• The bricks of course ! If it was one pound of bricks, the feathers would weigh more, as they are weighed using the avoirdupois system.
• Neither, each weighs a pound. But the pound of feathers (being less dense) will be a much larger volume.
• A pound of bricks, a pound of cheese, and a pound of feathers all have the same weight --1 pound.
• In the absence of air, they all fall with the same acceleration, and they all hit the ground at the same timeand with the same speed.
• All 3 weigh the same. A pound is a pound is a pound.

They all weigh the same. A pound of bricks, a poundof cheese, and a pound of feathers.

Answer 2

The bricks of course ! If it was one pound of bricks, the feathers would weigh more, as they are weighed using the avoirdupois system.

Answer 3

They all weigh one pound.

Just don't drop the brick on your head; the brick is so much stiffer that it will stop quickly and with high acceleration that will amplify the impact

Answer 4

They all weigh the same, a pound is a pound!

Answer 5

They all weigh the same, one pound.

Answer 6

all the same