What is the difference between mass and weight on earth

Your mass on the Moon would remain the same, but your weight would be different because the acceleration due to gravity is different there. Mass is an intrinsic property of matter. It is a scalar value, which means it has magnitude, but no direction associated with it. The mass of an object is never zero. You measure mass with an ordinary balance on Earth or an inertial balance in space. In the absence of gravity, weight can be zero. Because weight is a force, it is a vector.

It has both magnitude and direction. You measure weight using a spring balance. We tend to measure weight in grams, kilograms, ounces, and pounds. Technically, grams g and kilograms kg are units of mass. The SI unit of force is the Newton N , with a 1 kg mass having a force of 9. The US unit of force is the pound lb , while the unit of mass is something called a slug. One slug has a weight of Share Flipboard Email.

Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph. Chemistry Expert. Helmenstine holds a Ph. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels. Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter. Updated August 12, Mass is a property of matter. The mass of an object is the same everywhere.

Weight depends on the effect of gravity. Weight increases or decreases with higher or lower gravity. Mass can never be zero.

Weight can be zero if no gravity acts upon an object, as in space. Mass does not change according to location. Weight varies according to location. Mass is a scalar quantity. It has magnitude. Weight is a vector quantity. It has magnitude and is directed toward the center of the Earth or other gravity well. Mass may be measured using an ordinary balance. Weight is measured using a spring balance.

Mass usually is measured in grams and kilograms. Weight often is measured in newtons, a unit of force. The quantity or amount of matter of an object is determined by the numbers of atoms and molecules of various types it contains. Because these numbers do not vary, in Newtonian physics, mass does not vary; therefore, its response to an applied force does not vary.

In contrast, weight is the gravitational force acting on an object, so it does vary depending on gravity. For example, a person closer to the center of Earth, at a low elevation such as New Orleans, weighs slightly more than a person who is located in the higher elevation of Denver, even though they may have the same mass.

It is tempting to equate mass to weight, because most of our examples take place on Earth, where the weight of an object varies only a little with the location of the object. In addition, it is difficult to count and identify all of the atoms and molecules in an object, so mass is rarely determined in this manner.

Operationally, the masses of objects are determined by comparison with the standard kilogram, as we discussed in Units and Measurement.

But by comparing an object on Earth with one on the Moon, we can easily see a variation in weight but not in mass. For instance, on Earth, a 5. However, the mass of the object is still 5. A farmer is lifting some moderately heavy rocks from a field to plant crops. He lifts a stone that weighs What force does he apply if the stone accelerates at a rate of [latex] 1.

We were given the weight of the stone, which we use in finding the net force on the stone. No forces act in the horizontal direction, so we can concentrate on vertical forces, as shown in the following free-body diagram. We label the acceleration to the side; technically, it is not part of the free-body diagram, but it helps to remind us that the object accelerates upward so the net force is upward.

Can you avoid the boulder field and land safely just before your fuel runs out, as Neil Armstrong did in ? This version of the classic video game accurately simulates the real motion of the lunar lander, with the correct mass, thrust, fuel consumption rate, and lunar gravity.

The real lunar lander is hard to control. Use this interactive simulation to move the Sun, Earth, Moon, and space station to see the effects on their gravitational forces and orbital paths. Visualize the sizes and distances between different heavenly bodies, and turn off gravity to see what would happen without it. What is the relationship between weight and mass? Which is an intrinsic, unchanging property of a body? How much does a kg astronaut weight in space, far from any celestial body?

What is her mass at this location? The astronaut is truly weightless in the location described, because there is no large body planet or star nearby to exert a gravitational force. Her mass is 70 kg regardless of where she is located.

When you stand on Earth, your feet push against it with a force equal to your weight. The force you exert a contact force equal in magnitude to your weight is small. Earth is extremely massive by comparison. Thus, the acceleration of Earth would be incredibly small. The weight of an astronaut plus his space suit on the Moon is only N.