Which statement about mass and weight is true?

Which statement about mass and weight is true?

• A. Mass changes with location; weight remains constant.
• B. Weight changes with location; mass remains constant.
• C. Both mass and weight change with location.
• D. Neither mass nor weight changes with location.

Answer: (B)

The main idea is that mass and weight behave differently because one is an intrinsic property and the other is a force depending on gravity. Mass is the amount of matter in an object and stays the same no matter where you are. Weight is the gravitational force acting on that mass, which depends on the local acceleration due to gravity. Since gravity varies with location (distance from the planet’s center, altitude, and effects from rotation), weight changes when you move, while mass does not. For example, you’d weigh less on the Moon where g is weaker, even though your mass is unchanged. On Earth, small differences in g at the equator versus the poles also affect weight, not mass. So the statement that weight changes with location while mass remains constant accurately reflects how gravity interacts with matter.

The main idea is that mass and weight behave differently because one is an intrinsic property and the other is a force depending on gravity. Mass is the amount of matter in an object and stays the same no matter where you are. Weight is the gravitational force acting on that mass, which depends on the local acceleration due to gravity. Since gravity varies with location (distance from the planet’s center, altitude, and effects from rotation), weight changes when you move, while mass does not. For example, you’d weigh less on the Moon where g is weaker, even though your mass is unchanged. On Earth, small differences in g at the equator versus the poles also affect weight, not mass. So the statement that weight changes with location while mass remains constant accurately reflects how gravity interacts with matter.