What is the difference between weight and mass?

lothruin

Specifically, mass is related to the amount of force needed to change the speed or direction of an amount of matter. An object's mass is the same no matter where in the universe it is. Weight is the effect of gravity on mass, which is why it differs between the earth and the moon. Oct 14 03, 2:28 PM

sequoianoir

The exact simple answer is gravity. Without gravity everything is weightless. The more gravity the heavier/weightier something is. 1 bag of sugar has half the mass as 2 bags of sugar (assuming same size bags.) Oct 14 03, 5:50 PM

Yaarbiriah

*Mass* is the amount of substance.. the sum of all the atoms of something. *Weight* is the effect of gravity on mass. On the moon (where gravity is about one sixth earth gravity) I will have all the *momentum* of a 60 kg (rounding up) object if I barge into something but if you weigh me I will only *register* 10 kg. Weight is more correctly measured in Newtons, kilograms is actually a measure of mass. http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Gene_Nygaard/weight.htm May 07 07, 7:40 AM