What is mass and gravity

Mass describes how much matter an object contains and how strongly it resists acceleration. Gravity is an attractive interaction between masses. Weight is the force of gravity acting on an object.

How it works

Near Earth’s surface, weight is approximately mass multiplied by gravitational acceleration: W = mg. The same object has nearly the same mass on Earth and the Moon, but its weight differs because gravitational acceleration differs.

Example or application

A 10-kilogram object weighs about 98 newtons near Earth’s surface using g ≈ 9.8 m/s². On the Moon, its weight is much smaller, though its mass remains 10 kilograms.

Scope and limits

Everyday speech often uses “weight” when referring to mass. In physics, keep the distinction clear and state the gravitational setting.

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