Published Paper Details:

This study aims to enhance the understanding of the concepts of mass and weight among secondary school students. Although these are fundamental ideas in physics, many students continue to confuse them because the terms are often used interchangeably in everyday life. The research was conducted among Class IX students of Rotary West School, Mysuru, with the objective of identifying and correcting these misconceptions. A quantitative approach was adopted, using a one-group pre-test and post-test design. Six students were selected through purposive sampling. To make learning more meaningful and engaging, the researcher implemented several activities including concept comparison, a spring balance experiment, a unit identification game and situational analysis. An achievement test developed by the researcher was used to assess students' understanding before and after the intervention. The results showed a clear improvement, with average scores rising from 5.33 in the pre-test to 15.33 in the post-test, reflecting about a 50% increase in conceptual understanding. The findings indicate that activity-based and experiential learning approaches help students distinguish between mass and weight more effectively and connect these ideas to real-life contexts. The study concludes that incorporating practical, interactive and student-centered methods in science teaching can significantly reduce misconceptions and promote deeper, more meaningful learning. It also highlights the need for teachers to focus on developing conceptual clarity rather than relying solely on rote learning.