WEIGHT

n. Wat. Gr.. ffra^ds. Lat., pond us. Fr., poids. Ger., Gewicht. 1. That property of matter (due to the force of gravitation) in virtue of which it tends to fall downward. 2. The amount of such tendency to downward motion. 3. A system of related units or denominations for the measurement of the w. of bodies; a table of w. [a, 48.] Atomic w. The w. of an atom of an elementary substance compared with that of hydrogen as unity. [B.] Curve of w. A graphic representation of the different w's of the human body at different ages. |H. P. Bowditch, " Ann. Rep. of State Bd. of Health of Ma .,'1 1877 (K).] Molecular w. Fr., poids moleculaire. Ger., Molekularyewicht. The w. of a molecule of a substance as compared with that of an atom of hydrogen. In the case of most elementary bodies this is double the atomic w., since one elementary molecule usually contains two atoms; and, since a molecule of a gas, simple or compound, occupied two volumes, the molecular w. of the gas is double the sp. gr. of the gas referred to that of hydrogen as unity. [B.] [s. 728]