Which term describes the force of gravity on an object?

Which term describes the force of gravity on an object?

• A. Weight
• B. Mass
• C. Volume
• D. Density

Answer: (A)

Gravity pulls on every object with a force, and that pulling force is called weight. Weight describes how strong gravity is acting on the object's mass. The amount of matter in the object is its mass, which stays the same whether you're on Earth, the Moon, or in space. Weight can change if gravity changes, because weight equals mass times gravitational acceleration (g). On Earth, g is about 9.8 m/s^2, so weight is roughly mass times 9.8, measured in newtons. Volume is the space the object takes up, and density is how much mass is in that space; neither describes the force of gravity itself. So weight is the term that describes the force of gravity on an object.

Gravity pulls on every object with a force, and that pulling force is called weight. Weight describes how strong gravity is acting on the object's mass. The amount of matter in the object is its mass, which stays the same whether you're on Earth, the Moon, or in space. Weight can change if gravity changes, because weight equals mass times gravitational acceleration (g). On Earth, g is about 9.8 m/s^2, so weight is roughly mass times 9.8, measured in newtons. Volume is the space the object takes up, and density is how much mass is in that space; neither describes the force of gravity itself. So weight is the term that describes the force of gravity on an object.