Answer 1:
The mass of on an object is basically the
amount of "stuff" (or more properly, the amount
of matter) in that object. Technically a
kilogram is a unit of mass, not weight. Weight
is the force experienced by that object due to
the acceleration of gravity. Force is equal to
mass times acceleration (F=m*a) and is measured
in newtons (1 newton = 1 kg*m/s2).
On Earth´s surface the acceleration is due to
gravity is 9.8 m/s2. So an object
with a mass of 1 kilogram has a weight of 9.8
newtons.
The acceleration due to gravity on a given
planet depends on the mass and radius of that
planet. (Specifically, g=GM/r2, where
g is acceleration due to gravity,
G is a
universal gravitation constant, M is the
mass of
the planet, and r is the radius of the
planet.)
Because the Moon has less mass than the Earth,
gravitational acceleration (and hence, weight)
is less on the Moon than on Earth.
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