# How does matter differ from weight?

May 22, 2018

Matter is anything with real mass which occupies volume in space. Weight is a quantitative property of matter.....

#### Explanation:

Matter is anything that has real mass and occupies volume in space.

Weight is a quantity that equates to the product of an object's mass and the gravitational field strength acting on the object. So for an object standing on the surface of the earth, it is equal to the mass multiplied by the accelleration due to gravity, 9.8 $m . {s}^{-} 2$.

Maybe what you meant to ask (because it is a commonly posed question) is "how does MASS differ from weight?". If so, the answer is that mass is a measure of the amount of matter in an object, and is independant of any gravitational field acting upon it. (unlike weight, which does vary with gravitational field strength).

So your weight on the moon is lower than that on the earth (because gravitational field strength acting on you is lower there). Your mass, however, is unchanged.