Final answer:
The mass of an object is a measure of the amount of matter it contains, not to be confused with weight, which varies with gravity. Mass is constant across different locations and can be measured using a balance or by analyzing the force needed for acceleration.
Step-by-step explanation:
The mass of an object is B) a measure of the amount of matter in the object. Mass is often mistakenly associated with weight; however, the two are quite distinct. Weight is the force of gravity acting on an object, which is why it can change depending on the location due to variations in gravitational force. For instance, an object will weigh less on the Moon where gravity is weaker. In contrast, mass remains constant regardless of location as it is the total quantity of matter contained within an object.
One method to measure mass is to assess the force required to accelerate an object; greater mass means more force is necessary. Another common approach is to use a balance to compare the object's mass with a standard mass. This is because mass is not dependent on gravitational forces and therefore does not change whether an object is on Earth, orbiting in space, or on the Moon's surface. It is solely a measure of the matter within the object, which is generally based on the number of atoms and types of atoms present.