If an object's mass remains constant but gravity changes, what happens to its weight?

If an object's mass remains constant but gravity changes, what happens to its weight?

• A. It stays the same.
• B. It becomes zero.
• C. It changes proportionally to gravity.
• D. It doubles regardless of gravity.

Answer: (C)

Weight depends on gravity. The weight of an object is the force of gravity pulling on it, and it is calculated as W = m × g, where m is mass and g is the strength of gravity. Since the mass stays the same, changing gravity changes weight in direct proportion. If gravity increases, weight increases by the same factor; if gravity decreases, weight decreases accordingly. For example, a 5 kg mass weighs about 49 N on Earth (5 × 9.8), but only about 8 N on the Moon (5 × 1.6). If gravity were zero, the weight would be zero even though the mass is unchanged. That’s why the correct idea is that weight changes in proportion to gravity, rather than staying the same, becoming zero in all cases, or doubling no matter what.

Weight depends on gravity. The weight of an object is the force of gravity pulling on it, and it is calculated as W = m × g, where m is mass and g is the strength of gravity. Since the mass stays the same, changing gravity changes weight in direct proportion. If gravity increases, weight increases by the same factor; if gravity decreases, weight decreases accordingly. For example, a 5 kg mass weighs about 49 N on Earth (5 × 9.8), but only about 8 N on the Moon (5 × 1.6). If gravity were zero, the weight would be zero even though the mass is unchanged. That’s why the correct idea is that weight changes in proportion to gravity, rather than staying the same, becoming zero in all cases, or doubling no matter what.