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Weight

In other countries, objects are measured in terms of their mass, in grams or kilograms. In the United States, however, people use the term for weight to also mean mass. Weight is a force; mass is not.

F=mg=Weight

where m is the mass of the object and g is the acceleration of gravity. Near the earth's surface gravity is constant, but if an object is taken up high into space, the force of gravity is less. Therefore, the "force" of weight is less.

An object on the moon weighs less than the same object on the earth. The gravitational attraction on the moon is less than that of earth, so the acceleration due to gravity is less (about 1/6th that of the earth). When an object is weighed on the moon, it will weigh about 1/6th as much as the same object on earth. For example, a 60-pound child would weigh 10 pounds on the moon!

The weight of an object is one of the forces that has to be overcome in flight.

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