Does this animal or object weigh more or less than 10 kg?
Wild animals, pet dogs, everyday objects and curiosities: in this quiz, everything hinges on a single line, the 10-kilo mark. For each animal or object, guess whether it weighs more or less than 10 kg. For animals, we use the usual weight of a healthy adult. For objects, we mean the standard version, ready to use. Don't trust your instincts too much: what looks big isn't necessarily heavy, and the reverse is true too!
How to play
← →Swipe the card left or right
Or tap the two buttons
On a computer: ←→orQDorAD
10 cards, 20 seconds: the timer starts with your first choice.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between mass and weight?
In physics, mass is measured in kilograms and stays the same everywhere. Weight is the force of gravity acting on that mass, measured in newtons. On the Moon, a 10 kg object keeps its mass but weighs six times less. In everyday life, the two words are used interchangeably.
How is the kilogram defined?
For more than a century, the kilogram was defined by a platinum-iridium cylinder kept at Sèvres, near Paris. Since 2019, it has been based on a constant of physics, the Planck constant. This change guarantees a stable definition that no longer depends on an object that could deteriorate.
Why does an animal's weight vary so much?
An animal's weight depends on its sex, age, region and the season. Many species build up reserves before winter, then lose them during hibernation or fasting. In some birds and mammals, males and females also have very different weights.
How do you weigh a wild animal?
Scientists often weigh animals when they are caught for research or treatment, using scales or spring balances. For the largest ones, they estimate the mass from body measurements or photos. The weight ranges published sum up hundreds of measurements.
Photo credits
White-handed gibbon : Photo JJ Harrison, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons ; Golden eagle : Photo Giles Laurent, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons ; Two-toed sloth : Photo Dave Pape, domaine public, Wikimedia Commons ; Red panda : Photo H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons ; Dachshund : Photo localpups, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons ; Jack Russell terrier : Photo Plank, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons ; Domestic cat : Photo Alvesgaspar, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons ; Alpine marmot : Photo Giles Laurent, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons ; European hare : Photo Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons ; Nine-banded armadillo : Photo Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons ; Humboldt penguin : Photo William Crochot, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons ; Bowling ball : Photo RCraig09, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons ; Pack of six 1.5-litre bottles of water : Photo Rlsheehan, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons ; Tour de France racing bike : Photo Tim Reddington, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons ; Electric guitar : Photo Anil Öztas, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons ; Sperm whale's brain : Photo Gabriel Barathieu, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons ; Emperor penguin : Photo Ian Duffy, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons ; Eurasian beaver : Photo NasserHalaweh, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons ; Eurasian lynx : Photo David Castor, domaine public, Wikimedia Commons ; English cocker spaniel : Photo Pleple2000, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons ; Border collie : Photo Janesalway, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons ; Bennett's wallaby : Photo Noodle snacks, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons ; Common wombat : Photo JJ Harrison, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons ; English bulldog : Photo kaz (Pixabay), CC0, Wikimedia Commons ; Central bank gold bar : Photo Szaaman, domaine public, Wikimedia Commons ; Full butane gas bottle : Photo Kolforn, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons ; 12-litre scuba tank : Photo Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons ; Hollow concrete block : Photo katorisi, CC BY 2.5, Wikimedia Commons ; Wheel of Comté cheese : Photo Orr10, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons ; 20-litre jerrycan of petrol : Photo Thiemo Schuff, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons ; Knight's full suit of armour : Photo Göran Schmidt, domaine public, Wikimedia Commons ; Dutch bike : Photo Umberto Brayj, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons