The purpose of this mini-teach is to demonstrate the meaning of relative mass and to set up a scale of relative masses. Nails Eight Balances, and Sixteen Styrofoam cups. Each group then brings its statistics to class for mini-teach. I have assumed that my students have already been introduced to the atomic theory.
All matter is made up of small particles called atoms.
Atoms of the same element are chemically alike. Each kind of atom has its own definite average mass. Atoms of most elements can enter into combinations called compounds. Atoms are not subdivided in compounds. Since atoms are very small, we cannot weigh them directly, but we can weigh them indirectly and obtain their relative masses.