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Which statement correctly distinguishes mass from weight?
AMass is a force in newtons and weight is matter in kilograms
BMass and weight are the same quantity in different units
CMass is measured in newtons and weight in kilograms
DMass is the quantity of matter and weight is a gravitational force
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: D. Mass is the quantity of matter and weight is a gravitational force
1. Mass is the quantity of matter in an object and is measured in kilograms.
2. Weight is the gravitational force acting on that mass and is measured in newtons.
3. Mass does not vary in classical physics, whereas weight varies with the local gravity.
4. That is why a body keeps its mass but loses most of its weight on the Moon.
5. Everyday speech swaps the two words, which is where the confusion begins.
6. Any option that puts mass in newtons or weight in kilograms reverses the units.
_Source: OpenStax College Physics (CC BY 4.0), Ch 4 "Dynamics: Force and Newton's Laws of Motion", section 4.3 Newton's Second Law of Motion: Concept of a System_
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