Question

What is the difference between mass and weight? In at least three sentences, explain the difference and give an example.

Answer 1

Mass and weight are different. Mass is the measurement of how much matter an object has, while weight deals with the pull of gravity. For example, an astronaut floating in space is weightless, due to the limited influence of gravity. But he will still have mass, that is because mass and weight are different :)

Answer 2

Mass is entirely a property of the object. So the conditions and environment surrounding the object have no effect on it, and it doesn't change.

Weight is a measurement of the interaction between the object and its environment, so its weight changes as it moves from place to place.

Example:

A standard brass cylinder in a laboratory set of calibrated masses is marked "1 kilogram".

When you weigh it on Earth, the scale says "9.8 Newtons" or "2.2 pounds".

If you take the set of calibrated masses to the Moon with you, and weigh the same "1 kilogram" piece, it weighs "1.62 Newtons" or "5.8 ounces" up there.