Mass and weight

A stone’s mass is measured on Earth with a pan balance. Its weight is measured with a newton meter. On the Moon, would these readings be the same or different?

May/June 2015

The table gives the weights and masses of four objects on different planets. On which planet is the gravitational field strength greatest?

May/June 2015

A pan balance is used to determine the mass of a stone on Earth. A newton meter is used to determine the weight of the stone. Would the readings be the same or different on the Moon?

May/June 2015

A brick is put first on a newton meter and then on a beam balance. What does each instrument measure?

May/June 2016

Which property of a body opposes a change from rest or from motion?

May/June 2016

A brick is first put on a newton meter and then on a beam balance. What quantity does each instrument measure?

May/June 2016

A set of bathroom scales is used by a group of students to measure forces.

May/June 2016

An astronaut journeys to the International Space Station. Which row shows how his mass and his weight compare with their values on Earth?

May/June 2017

The diagram depicts a wooden block placed on an inclined board. Which arrow indicates the direction of the gravitational force on the block?

May/June 2017

At the Earth’s surface, the gravitational field strength is $10\,\text{N kg}^{-1}$. At the Martian surface, the gravitational field strength is $3.8\,\text{N kg}^{-1}$. A robot vehicle has a weight of $2000\,\text{N}$ on Earth. What would the weight of the robot vehicle be on Mars?

May/June 2017

The diagram depicts a block of wood positioned on a sloping board. Which arrow indicates the direction of the gravitational force acting on the block?

May/June 2017

What piece of equipment is used for measuring mass?

May/June 2018

A body of mass $10\,\text{kg}$, when falling freely in the Moon’s gravitational field near its surface, has an acceleration of $1.6\,\text{m s}^{-2}$. What is the value of the gravitational field strength on the Moon?

May/June 2018

A metal block is put on an electronic balance so that its mass can be measured. What unit is used for the balance reading, and what unit is used for weight?

May/June 2018

A $10\,\text{kg}$ body is in free fall near the Moon’s surface and its acceleration is $1.6\,\text{m s}^{-2}$. What is the Moon’s gravitational field strength?

May/June 2018

Four objects, each with a different mass, are placed in areas with varying gravitational field strengths. Which object has the largest weight?

May/June 2019

A parachutist with mass $60\,\text{kg}$ descends at a constant speed of $10\,\text{m s}^{-1}$. The gravitational field strength $g$ is $10\,\text{N kg}^{-1}$. What upward force is acting on the parachutist?

May/June 2019

The mass of object $P$ is larger than the mass of object $Q$. The two objects contain different amounts of matter and show different resistance to changes in motion. Which row is correct?

May/June 2019

Four objects with different masses are located in regions where the gravitational field strengths are different. Which object has the largest weight?

May/June 2019

At the Earth’s surface, which row states the mass and the weight of an object? [gravitational field strength $g = 10\,\text{N kg}^{-1}$]

May/June 2021

The gravitational field strength in space is lower than at the Earth’s surface. A rocket is used to send a satellite from the Earth’s surface into space. How do the mass and the weight of the satellite change as the satellite moves farther from the Earth’s surface and into space?

May/June 2021

An object's mass $m$ is connected to its weight $W$ and the gravitational field strength $g$. Which equation represents this relationship?

May/June 2022

A passenger of mass $60\,\text{kg}$ steps into a lift that is not moving. The gravitational field strength $g$ is $10\,\text{N kg}^{-1}$. What force is exerted by the lift floor on the passenger when the lift accelerates upwards at $2.0\,\text{m s}^{-2}$?

May/June 2022

Fig. 1.1 shows a waterskier being pulled sideways across the water surface. The waterskier has a mass of 60 kg. The gravitational field strength $g$ is $10\,\text{N kg}^{-1}$.

May/June 2022

On Earth, the gravitational field strength is $9.8\,\text{N kg}^{-1}$. On Mars, the gravitational field strength is $3.7\,\text{N kg}^{-1}$. The difference between an object’s weight on Earth and the weight of that same object on Mars is $25\,\text{N}$. What is the mass of the object?

May/June 2023

The diagrams illustrate four balances, W, X, Y and Z. On Earth, the scales of all four balances are calibrated to measure mass. Which of the balances still measure mass accurately when they are used on the Moon?

May/June 2023

A spacecraft transports a probe to Mars, where the gravitational field strength is $3.7\,\text{N kg}^{-1}$. On Mars, the probe has a weight of $370\,\text{N}$. On Earth, the gravitational field strength is $9.8\,\text{N kg}^{-1}$. What are the mass and the weight of the probe on Earth?

May/June 2023

Which property of an object decides how strongly it resists any change in its state of rest or motion?

May/June 2024

The diagram illustrates a moon buggy that astronauts use. On Earth, the moon buggy has a mass of $210\,\text{kg}$. The gravitational field strength on the Moon is $\frac{1}{6}$ of the value on Earth. What is the moon buggy’s weight on the Moon?

May/June 2024

Object P has more mass than object Q. The objects do not have the same amount of matter, and their resistance to changes in motion is different. Which row gives the correct answer?

May/June 2025

Which of the following statements about mass is correct?

Oct/Nov 2015

A student makes some revision notes about gravity, mass and weight. Which statement is incorrect?

Oct/Nov 2015

Which of the following statements about mass and weight is correct?

Oct/Nov 2016

A block is suspended from a spring balance. The block pulls the marker inside the balance downward. What can the marker’s position be used to determine?

Oct/Nov 2016

The diagram shows two objects placed on a beam balance. The beam balance is in equilibrium. Which quantities could be different?

Oct/Nov 2017

The diagram depicts two objects placed on a beam balance. The beam balance is balanced in equilibrium. Which quantities could be different?

Oct/Nov 2017

What could be the mass of a normal adult person?

Oct/Nov 2018

What occurs to an object when it is taken to a position where the gravitational field strength is slightly larger?

Oct/Nov 2018

The graphs illustrate how a spring’s extension varies with the masses hanging from it, for the spring on planet X and for the spring on planet Y. Which conclusion can be reached from these graphs?

Oct/Nov 2018

A metal disc is warmed to $600^\circ\text{C}$ and then placed into a beaker of water. What effect does this have on the mass of the metal disc and on the mass of the water in the beaker?

Oct/Nov 2019

A block is suspended from a spring balance. The block causes the marker inside the balance to move downward. What can the marker’s position be used to find?

Oct/Nov 2020

Which statement correctly describes mass and weight?

Oct/Nov 2020

A block is suspended from a spring balance. The block pulls the marker inside the balance downward. What can the marker’s position be used to find?

Oct/Nov 2020

An astronaut is on a planet where the gravitational field strength is one fifth of the Earth value. He suspends rock samples from a spring balance made for use on Earth. The mass of each sample is $0.1\ \text{kg}$. The spring balance shows $1.0\ \text{kg}$. How many rock samples are there?

Oct/Nov 2020

A laboratory object is being used to find the gravitational field strength $g$. Which physical quantity has the same value as $g$?

Oct/Nov 2021

Fig. 1.1 presents a jug containing liquid and an empty measuring cylinder placed on an electronic balance.

Oct/Nov 2021

The graph illustrates how a spring’s extension varies with the masses hanging from it, both when the spring is on planet X and when it is on planet Y. Which conclusion may be drawn from these graphs?

Oct/Nov 2022

A student gives two statements about mass and weight. Which statements are correct?

Oct/Nov 2022

Which statement concerning mass is correct?

Oct/Nov 2024

A car has a weight of $8000\ \text{N}$. What is the mass of the car?

Oct/Nov 2024

A metal disc is clamped between the jaws of a vice. Which property of the metal disc remains the same when it is squeezed?

Oct/Nov 2024

The gravitational field strength in space is lower than it is at the Earth’s surface. As a satellite travels farther from the Earth’s surface and out into space, what happens to its mass and to its weight?

Oct/Nov 2024

At the Moon’s surface, the acceleration of free fall is $\frac{1}{6}$ of the value at the Earth’s surface. What is the approximate weight of a $1\text{ kg}$ mass on the Moon?

Oct/Nov 2025

Which row gives a definition of an object’s mass and names an instrument used to measure mass?

Oct/Nov 2025