How does weight differ from mass?

How does weight differ from mass?

• A. Weight is the force of gravity on an object, while mass is the amount of matter in the object.
• B. Mass is the force of gravity on an object.
• C. Weight and mass are identical concepts.
• D. Mass changes with gravity, weight changes at a constant rate.

Answer: (A)

Weight is the gravitational force acting on an object, while mass is the amount of matter that object contains. The two are related by the equation W = m g, where g is the local acceleration due to gravity. This means mass stays the same no matter where you are, but weight changes with gravity. For example, a 5 kg mass weighs about 49 N on Earth (5 × 9.8), but on the Moon, where gravity is weaker, it would weigh much less, while its mass remains 5 kg. This distinction explains why weight and mass are not interchangeable concepts. The other statements mix up what mass and weight represent: mass is not a force, and it does not change with gravity, while weight is a force that does change with the gravitational field.

Weight is the gravitational force acting on an object, while mass is the amount of matter that object contains. The two are related by the equation W = m g, where g is the local acceleration due to gravity. This means mass stays the same no matter where you are, but weight changes with gravity. For example, a 5 kg mass weighs about 49 N on Earth (5 × 9.8), but on the Moon, where gravity is weaker, it would weigh much less, while its mass remains 5 kg. This distinction explains why weight and mass are not interchangeable concepts. The other statements mix up what mass and weight represent: mass is not a force, and it does not change with gravity, while weight is a force that does change with the gravitational field.