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:The bricks of course ! If it was one pound of bricks, the feathers would weigh more, as they are weighed using the avoirdupois system.
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
They all weigh the same, a pound is a pound!
They all weigh the same, one pound.
all the same
All weighs a pound. So all will weigh the same
They all weigh the same - one pound. It doesn't hurt as much when you drop feathers on your head compared to a brick since the feathers are soft and the shock is absorbed, reducing the impact force
Speaking from a weight standpoint a pound of feathers weighs the same as a pound of iron. They each weigh 1 pound. However it take many more feathers to weight a pound then chunks (ingots) of iron.
they would both weigh the same as they are both one pound!!
Neither is heavier or lighter than the other. They both have the same weight. Namely, one pound. Strange as it may seem, they both also have the same mass, namely 0.4536 kilogram. (rounded) This is a very old and venerated trick question whos answer lies in the question. A pound is a pound, no matter the material. There will be many more feathers than bricks, but they will weigh the same.
A scale can weigh either one, and it can also weigh a pound of feathers.
They all weigh the same.
A pound of bricks and a pound of feathers weigh the same because they both weigh one pound. The difference lies in their volume, with bricks being denser and taking up less space compared to feathers.
No, they should weigh the same.
they both weigh the same.
If someone asks you "which is heavier, a POUND of bricks or a POUND of feathers" they are equal because they both weigh a pound.I say a pound of bricks is heavierIn general the both weigh the same amount when it comes to a pound. Not a single brick and a single feather Everyone knows a brick weighs more than a feather.
They weigh the exact same amount because they both equal a pound.
They both weigh the same -- one pound.
They all have the same weight ... namely, one pound.
All weighs a pound. So all will weigh the same
All of them weigh the same, because there is one pound each item.
They both weigh the same- a pound of anything always weighs the same.