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We can start with the assumption that you are asking why mass doesn't change relative to the presence of a gravitational field, while weight does change. Mass is a measure of the actual amount of physical material present in an object. Identical objects could be placed on the surface of the earth, in orbit around the earth, on Pluto, or in interstellar space. In each case, the amount of physical material is the same. However, the objects will not all weigh the same.

You can imagine floating free in space, and you are right in between two cubes of steel, each weighing 5 tons on earth. Of course, they weigh nothing in space. The cubes are for all practical purposes stationary and you are not being crushed. You could reach out and push against the cubes. While it might take a little effort, you would be able to get the cubes moving away from one another. The effort you have to put into getting the cubes to move is directly related to the amount of material in the cubes.

Now imagine yourself laying down in a parking lot, and one of the 5 ton cubes is being lowered onto you. Do you think you will be able to push the cube away as you did in space? In the parking lot, you would experience the weight of the cube on earth.

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16y ago
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11y ago

because it is inside of everything and everywhere

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14y ago

because the weight depends on gravity and the gravity changes when the object is taken to a different place.

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Q: Why do you think the mass did not change but the weight did?
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Continue Learning about Physics

When does the weight of a body change?

Weight changes when the mass acting upon it changes or the distance between them alters. Mass does not change, weight may.


Does mass and weight change with location because the force of gravity changes?

Mass does not change!!! Whatever the force of gravity, the object contains the same amount of matter. However, weight does change because the gravitational acceleration changes.


Compare the changes in the weight of a ball with the changes in the balls mass as the height of the ball above earths surface increases?

Mass and Weight The gravitational force Earth exerts on an object is the weight of the object. Because weight is a force, it is measured in newtons. Weight is not the same as mass. Mass is the amount of matter an object contains, and is measured in kilograms. Even if the mass of an object doesn't change, its weight will change if its distance from Earth changes


Why your weight would change if you went to the moon but your mass would not?

* Mass doesn't change because of conservation of mass. * Weight changes because it is the product of mass x gravity - and gravity on the Moon is less.


What are science facts about weight?

you can measure weight by a scale. weight could change from place to place like if you go to the moon you will weigh less because there is less gravitational pull on you. it basically depends on mass and mass is the amount of matter an object is made of. mass does not change so on the moon your mass does not change it's your weight that changes

Related questions

What do you think determines the weight of an object?

mass is measured with a triple beam balance but the balance works because of gravity weight can change but mass cannot.


Will your and mass or weight change When you travel to Neptune?

Your mass will not but your weight will.


Does your mass change if you were to travel to the moon?

Your mass will not change, but your weight will.


Does mass or weight change?

Weight changes but, ordinarily, mass doesn't.


Will the weight of an object change if it changes it state?

No. The mass of an object doesn't change (Law of Conservation of Mass), therefore its weight won't change either (weight = mass x gravity).


When does the weight of a body change?

Weight changes when the mass acting upon it changes or the distance between them alters. Mass does not change, weight may.


How can you change weight and not the mass?

There is really only 1 way you can change the weight of an object without changing the mass. You must change gravity.


Why will a person's mass never change whether they are on earth or on the moon?

Because mass is not the same as weight. Weight is mass times gravity so your weight will change if you are on the earth or moon but your mass will stay the same.


Does your mass change on the planets?

Your mass stays the same no matter where you are. Your weight will change.


How much difference is there between the astronauts mass on earth and on the moon?

The mass will hardly change. What changes is the weight.The mass will hardly change. What changes is the weight.The mass will hardly change. What changes is the weight.The mass will hardly change. What changes is the weight.


Does mass change depending a person's weight?

The weight itself is how much mass is there, so in theory the WEIGHT changes to how much mass there is.


How does the weight and mass of an object change if it is on the moon?

Such an object's mass would not change, or it wouldn't change significantly. Its weight will be reduced, approximately by a factor of 6.