Forces
Gravity and Weight
To distinguish mass from weight and calculate weight using gravitational field strength.

What you will learn

The difference between mass and weight

Why weight is a force measured in newtons

How to calculate weight using mass and gravity

Why the same object weighs differently on other planets

How to use gravitational field strength in calculations
Explanation
Mass measures the amount of matter and is measured in kilograms; weight is gravitational force in newtons. Use W = mg with gravitational field strength g in N/kg. Mass stays the same when an object moves to another gravitational field, but its weight can change. Example: A 5 kg object moves from g = 10 N/kg to g = 2 N/kg. State its new mass and weight. Mass remains 5 kg; weight = 5 × 2 = 10 N. A correct answer needs an appropriate unit as well as a numerical value. Use evidence. Apply the model.
