The weight of an object and its mass are directly proportional. For a given gravitational field strength, the greater the mass of the object, the greater its weight.

Weight can be calculated using the equation: $weight = mass × gravitational field strength$

This is when:

• weight ($W$) is measured in newtons (N)
• mass ($m$) is measured in kilograms (kg)
• gravitational field strength ($g$) is measured in newtons per kilogram (N/kg)

Rearranging:

The scale is calibrated to newtons. We can use a Newton meter to measure the weight of an object, in Newtons.

Key Points:

• Weight is a force and is measured in newtons.
• It is different from mass, which is a measure of the amount of matter in an object and is measured in kilograms.
• Weight changes with the strength of the gravitational field, but mass remains constant.