Hi all. I am relatively new to light novels and want to start with the lightest ones but I don't own a scale which is making it difficult to figure out where to start. What I do have, however, are a few containers, a measuring cup, and a lot of water. What I am thinking is that I can fill one container to the brim with water, submerge my book, and then capture the overflow in a second container. From there, it would be possible to measure the volume of water with my measuring cup and derive its mass (and thus its weight). Theoretically, this should be equivalent to the weight of the book per Archimedes' principle. I am unsure if this method will actually work in practice though. Has anyone tried anything like this before?

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 5 months ago

Here are my top solutions for you:

Take the book to outer space where there’s no gravity. Then the book will weight nothing.
Get rid of the book. Once you don’t have the book it won’t matter how much it weighs.
Find a bridge with a weight limit. Keep adding copies of the book until the bridge collapses. Divide the weight limit by the number of books and you have a rough weight.
Order a copy of the book. When it arrives check the box it was posted in for the postage weight.
Go to the doctors to get weighed. Eat the book then go back. The difference is the weight of the book.
Borrow a scales from your friends. If you are like me this is impossible, you are better off going with option 1.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago (1 children)

That would get you the volume, not the mass. You would have to multiply your cubic centimeter volume by 1.2 to get the actual answer in grams (approximately based on typical paper density.)

Though creating a rudimentary balance and using a measuring cup full of water on the opposite side of the book would be less messy.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago

It depends if the novel is a witch. If it is a witch and floats then you will get correct mass, if it isn't then you will get volume only.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago

Create the Cavendish experiment where mass of book is unknown and G is 6.67N × m^2 × kg^-2 × 10
Create physical pendulum and measure T for your local g and derive the mass of the book

But that is just gravitional mass. To measure inertial mass throw it across the room and see how far it will fly. You need know your force.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago

The paper pages of the book would pick up water like a sponge and the book would get heavier. How dare you!