Which of the following statements about mass and weight are correct? i. Weight is the force of gravity on a…

Analyze the question: We need to pick the correct statements about mass and weight.

Concepts:

• Mass is the quantity of matter in a body. It is constant everywhere (the same on Earth, the Moon, at the poles or at the equator). Unit: kg.
• Weight is the force of gravity acting on a body, W = mg. Unit: newton (N).
• The value of g varies slightly over the Earth. Because the Earth bulges at the equator and spins faster there, g is smallest at the equator (about 9.78 m/s²) and greatest at the poles (about 9.83 m/s²).

Checking each statement:

i. Weight is the force of gravity on a body. True.

ii. The mass of a body is the quantity of matter in the body. True.

iii. The weight of a body is greatest at the equator. False. g is least at the equator, so weight is least there and greatest at the poles.

iv. The mass of a body is greatest at the poles. False. Mass does not change with location.

So only statements i and ii are correct.

**Answer: A. i and ii only.

Tip: Remember "Mass is constant, weight varies." Weight changes with g, and g is greatest at the poles and least at the equator. If a question says mass changes with place, it is wrong.