Page 126 - Big Ideas Year 10 sciPAD 2025

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126 SCIPAD - BIG IDEAS - BOOK 2
FORCES AND MOTION
Mass and Weight
Many people think that ‘mass’ and ‘weight’ mean the same thing, but they actually have very
different meanings to scientists.
Mass
The mass of an object is the amount of matter or ‘stuff’
it contains. The more matter an object contains, the
greater its mass.
Mass is measured in kilograms (kg).
The mass of an object does not change with its location.
Your mass on Earth is the same as your mass on the
Moon or anywhere else.
Mass = 75 kg Weight = 120 N
Mass = 75 kg Weight = 750 N
1. Outline the key differences between the terms ‘mass’ and ‘weight’. 



2. On the Moon, the acceleration due to gravity is approximately 1.6 m s-2 (1.6 N kg-1).
Complete the table to show how the change in gravity would affect your weight.
Earth Moon
Your Mass (kg)
Gravity (N kg-1)
Weight (N)
3. Calculate the weight of the following objects. Show all your working.
(a) A laptop has a mass of 2.0 kg.
Formula = 
Working = 
Weight = 
(b) A tray of steak has a mass of 0.5 kg.
Formula = 
Working = 
Weight = 
(c) A tractor has a mass of 5 000 kg.
Formula = 
Working = 
Weight = 
(d) A burger has a mass of 0.3 kg.
Formula = 
Working = 
Weight = 
Weight
Weight is the effect of gravity on an objects mass.
Since weight is a force, it’s measured in newtons, or
calculated using force (F) = mass (m) x acceleration (a)
Acceleration due to gravity on Earth is 10 meters per
second per second - or 10 m s-2
.
On the moon this is 1.6 m s-2.
This means a persons weighs
less on the moons surface, but their mass is the same.
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