Weight, Mass & Gravity Flashcards

All 4 cards in this deck

Define weight.

The force acting on an object due to gravity (due to the gravitational field it is in), measured in newtons.

State the equation linking weight, mass and gravitational field strength, with units.

weight (N) = mass (kg) × gravitational field strength (N/kg), i.e. W = m × g

How is the weight of an object measured?

With a newtonmeter (a calibrated spring balance).

True or false? An astronaut's mass is smaller on the Moon than on Earth.

False. Mass is the same everywhere; only the weight is smaller, because weight is proportional to gravitational field strength, which is smaller on the Moon.