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Which of the following statements is accurate?

1) Mass and weight are the same thing expressed in different units.
2) If an object has no weight, it must have no mass.
3) If the weight of an object varies, so must the mass.
4) Mass and inertia are different concepts.
5) Weight is always proportional to mass.

User Greatvovan
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Final answer:

Weight is always proportional to mass, which represents the correct statement. Mass is a measure of matter and remains constant across locations, whereas weight varies with gravity's strength. Mass and inertia are related but distinct concepts.

Step-by-step explanation:

The accurate statement among the options provided is that weight is always proportional to mass. This is because weight is a measure of the gravitational force acting on an object and is calculated as the product of mass and the acceleration due to gravity (g). Another important aspect to understand is the difference between mass and weight. Mass is a measure of the amount of matter in an object and does not change with location, it remains the same whether on Earth, in orbit, or on the Moon's surface. On the other hand, weight can vary with the strength of the gravitational field. It's also important to clarify that mass and inertia are related, but not identical concepts. Inertia is a measure of how resistant an object is to changes in its state of motion and is directly related to its mass.

The accurate statement regarding mass and weight is: (a) Mass and weight are different concepts. While mass is a measure of how much matter is in an object, weight is a measure of the force of gravity acting on an object. It is important to differentiate between mass and weight because they have different units of measurement and respond differently to changes in gravity.

User Marlo Guthrie
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