Is g larger on Jupiter or on Earth?

Larger on Jupiter, about 25 N/kg.

Does an astronaut's mass change on the Moon?

No. Mass does not depend on location.

Does an astronaut's weight change on the Moon?

Yes. It is smaller, because g is smaller.

What is a gravitational field?

A region where a mass experiences a force because of gravity.

What instrument measures weight?

A newton meter (spring balance).

Is mass a scalar or a force?

Mass is a scalar quantity; weight is a force.

Weight, mass and gravitational field strengthIB MYP Physics: Flashcards

Card 1 of 130 of 13 known

Question

What is mass?

Tap or press Space to reveal

Tap card or press Space to flip

See all 13 cards

What is mass?: The amount of matter in an object, measured in kilograms.
What is weight?: The force of gravity on an object, measured in newtons.
What is the equation linking weight, mass and field strength?: W = mg.
What is the unit of gravitational field strength?: Newtons per kilogram (N/kg).
What is g on Earth?: About 10 N/kg (more precisely 9.8 N/kg).
What is g on the Moon?: About 1.6 N/kg.
Is g larger on Jupiter or on Earth?: Larger on Jupiter, about 25 N/kg.
Does an astronaut's mass change on the Moon?: No. Mass does not depend on location.
Does an astronaut's weight change on the Moon?: Yes. It is smaller, because g is smaller.
What is a gravitational field?: A region where a mass experiences a force because of gravity.
What instrument measures weight?: A newton meter (spring balance).
Is mass a scalar or a force?: Mass is a scalar quantity; weight is a force.
A 5 kg mass is on Earth. What is its weight?: 5 × 10 = 50 N.

Exam questions on Weight, mass and gravitational field strength

An astronaut of mass 60 kg is training for a mission to the Moon. The gravitational field strength is 10 N/kg on Earth and 1.6 N/kg on the Moon.
Explain why the astronaut's mass is the same on the Moon, but her weight is different.2 marks
A space probe carries a standard mass of 2.0 kg on a newton meter to measure the gravitational field strength at different places. On Earth the newton meter reads 20 N. Near Jupiter it reads 50 N.
Describe how a newton meter is used to find the weight of the standard mass.2 marks
A group of students investigates the relationship between mass and weight on Earth. They hang masses of 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 kg from a newton meter. The readings are 1.0, 2.0, 3.1, 4.0 and 5.0 N.
Describe the trend in the results and calculate the value of weight ÷ mass for the 0.4 kg mass.3 marks

See the full worksheet

Written by the Exaim team, led by Shaun Daswani (Head of Upper Secondary, Improve ME Institute; MSc Financial Mathematics, Imperial College London; BSc, UCL) and Jason Daswani (operational lead, Improve ME Institute; LSE).