Write three points of differences between mass and weight. How much would a 70 kg astronaut weigh on Moon? What would be his mass on the Earth and on the Moon?
Understand the Problem
The question asks for three differences between mass and weight, and then it asks to calculate the weight of a 70 kg astronaut on the Moon and their mass on both the Earth and the Moon. This requires understanding the concepts of mass, weight, and the gravitational difference between Earth and the Moon.
Answer
Mass measures matter and is constant; weight is the force of gravity and varies. A 70 kg astronaut weighs about 114.1 N on the Moon. His mass remains 70 kg on both Earth and Moon.
Here are three differences between mass and weight:
- Mass is the measure of how much matter an object contains; weight is the force of gravity acting on that mass.
- Mass is constant everywhere; weight varies depending on the gravitational field.
- Mass is a scalar quantity; weight is a vector quantity.
A 70 kg astronaut would weigh approximately 114.1 N on the Moon. His mass would be 70 kg on both the Earth and the Moon.
Answer for screen readers
Here are three differences between mass and weight:
- Mass is the measure of how much matter an object contains; weight is the force of gravity acting on that mass.
- Mass is constant everywhere; weight varies depending on the gravitational field.
- Mass is a scalar quantity; weight is a vector quantity.
A 70 kg astronaut would weigh approximately 114.1 N on the Moon. His mass would be 70 kg on both the Earth and the Moon.
More Information
The weight of an object on the Moon is approximately 1/6th of its weight on Earth, due to the Moon's lower gravitational acceleration. Mass, however, remains constant regardless of location.
Tips
A common mistake is thinking mass and weight are interchangeable. Remember, mass is the amount of matter, while weight is the force due to gravity.
Sources
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