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Glossary Science & Engineering

Mass and weight

Mass is the amount of matter in an object; weight is the force gravity exerts on that mass, `W = m × g`.

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In more detail

A 70 kg person has a weight of about 686.5 newtons on Earth (g = 9.80665 m/s²), but the same mass on the Moon weighs about one sixth as much. Everyday "weight" in kilograms is really mass.

Try these tools

Mass Calculator

Convert mass between milligrams, grams, kilograms, metric tons, ounces, pounds, stone, and US tons instantly.

Weight Calculator

Convert weight between kilograms and pounds, and see what you'd weigh on the Moon, Mars, Jupiter, and other planets based on their gravity.

See also

  • Glossary Density
    Density is mass per unit volume, `ρ = m / V`; it tells you how tightly matter is packed.
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