Does weight change on the Moon?

Yes. Your mass stays the same, but the Moon’s gravity is about 1/6 of Earth’s, so your weight on the Moon is roughly one-sixth of your weight on Earth.

Yes. Weight is the gravitational force acting on an object’s mass, calculated as W = mg, and measured in newtons.

⚛️ Physics · NEET & JEE

Difference Between Mass and Weight

Mass and weight are often confused in everyday language, but in physics they are very different quantities.

In short

Mass is the amount of matter in an object (scalar, constant everywhere, measured in kg); weight is the gravitational force on that mass (vector, changes with g, measured in newtons).

Mass vs Weight — Comparison Table

Basis	Mass	Weight
Definition	Amount of matter	Force of gravity on mass
Quantity type	Scalar	Vector
SI unit	kilogram (kg)	newton (N)
Formula	—	W = m × g
Varies with location?	No (constant)	Yes (changes with g)
Measured by	Beam balance	Spring balance

Want to understand this fully? Read the Physics notes on this chapter.

Frequently Asked Questions — Mass vs Weight

Does weight change on the Moon?: Yes. Your mass stays the same, but the Moon’s gravity is about 1/6 of Earth’s, so your weight on the Moon is roughly one-sixth of your weight on Earth.
Is weight a force?: Yes. Weight is the gravitational force acting on an object’s mass, calculated as W = mg, and measured in newtons.

Difference Between Mass and Weight

Mass vs Weight — Comparison Table

Frequently Asked Questions — Mass vs Weight

More Physics Comparisons