You can always compare the mass of any two objects. The ratio of the mass of the heavier object to the lighter one is its relative mass. For example, if you had a test tube that has a mass of 20 g, and a paper clip with a mass of 1 g, then the test tube is 20 times heavier than the paper clip.
As long as you have the same number of objects, the relative mass can be calculated from any two masses.
| Number of Test Tubes |
Mass of Test Tubes (g) |
Number of Paper Clips |
Mass of Paper Clips (g) |
Ratio (relative mass) Test Tube / Paper Clip |
| 1 | 20 | 1 | 1 | 20/1 = 20 |
| 2 | 40 | 2 | 2 | 40/2 = 20 |
| 10 | 200 | 10 | 10 | 200/10 = 20 |
| 20 | 400 | 10 | 10 | Can't be done! |
Relative masses have no units. They cancel out since they are the same. |
20 1 |
= 20 |
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