What Is the Difference Between Mass and Weight?

Mass is a fundamental property of an object that quantifies the amount of matter it contains by measuring its inertia. It is measured in units known as kilograms and remains constant regardless of where the object is located in the universe. This constancy is because mass is not influenced by external factors like gravity or the object’s environment. For instance, whether you are on Earth, the Moon, or floating in space, your mass remains the same. This is because mass is an intrinsic property of matter, independent of external forces.

Weight, on the other hand, is a measure of the gravitational force acting on an object. It is dependent on both the mass of the object and the strength of the gravitational field it is in. In the United States weight is often measured using the pound. Scientifically, it is measured in units of force known as newtons. Unlike mass, weight can vary depending on where you are in the universe. For example, an object will weigh less on the Moon than on Earth because the Moon’s gravitational field is weaker. This variability is due to the fact that weight is a force resulting from the interaction between an object’s mass and the gravitational field it is in.