Final answer:
A moving object is influenced by gravity, which provides weight, and by its mass, which determines its inertia. Mass is intrinsic and does not change with location, while weight varies with gravity. Momentum also involves mass, with a lighter object potentially having the same momentum as a heavier one if its velocity is high enough.
Step-by-step explanation:
A moving object that is picked up is influenced by various physical forces and properties. Among these, gravity and mass are fundamentally important. Gravity is the force that attracts two bodies toward each other, and it gives an object weight, which depends on the gravitational force of the body it is close to. Mass, on the other hand, is a measure of the amount of matter in an object and is proportional to the object's inertia, which is its resistance to changes in motion. Mass does not change regardless of location, be it on Earth, in orbit, or on the Moon.
An object's inertia is directly related to its mass. Heavier objects have more inertia, making it more difficult to change their motion. In contrast, if friction and air resistance are negligible, all objects fall with the same constant acceleration due to gravity, independent of their mass. When discussing momentum, an object's mass and velocity both play a role; thus, a lighter object can have the same momentum as a heavier object if it has a sufficiently high velocity.
When a person says they are "losing weight," they technically mean they are losing mass, which in turn affects their weight due to the change in gravitational pull. The standard unit of mass is the kilogram, and comparisons between different masses are made relative to the standard kilogram. It is interesting to note that a kilogram of cotton balls has the same mass as a kilogram of gold, although they have different volumes and densities.