Originally posted by Blue I didn't say that. Re-read it. Does you bathroom scale have Newtons on it? Does the analytical balance in my lab have Newtons on it?
"The unit of measurement for weight is that of force, which in the International System of Units (SI) is the newton. For example, an object with a mass of one kilogram has a weight of about 9.8 newtons on the surface of the Earth, and about one-sixth as much on the Moon."
"The terms weight and mass are often confused with each other in everyday discourse but they are distinct quantities."
"Considerable confusion exists in the use of the term "weight." In commercial and everyday use, the term "weight" nearly always means mass. In science and technology "weight" has primarily meant a force due to gravity. In scientific and technical work, the term "weight" should be replaced by the term "mass" or "force," depending on the application.
The use of the verb "to weigh" meaning "to determine the mass of," e.g., "I weighed this object and determined its mass to be 5 kg," is correct."
(The National Standard of Canada, CAN/CSA-Z234.1-89 Canadian Metric Practice Guide, January 1989)