A student uses a newton-meter to find the weight of a ceramic tile on Earth, then imagines taking the same tile to a planet where the gravitational field strength is greater than on Earth. State what happens to the mass and weight of the tile on this planet, and explain why each quantity changes or stays the same.

Cambridge International IGCSE Physics (0625) — 1.3 Mass and weight · Explain · 4 marks · View as Markdown

Written & reviewed by James Millett — Biology (Imperial College London), PGCE Science (University of Cambridge).

Model answer (4 marks)

Mass stays the same on the other planet.
Mass is the amount of matter in the tile and does not depend on gravitational field strength.
Weight increases on the other planet.
Weight = mass × gravitational field strength, so a greater gravitational field strength produces a greater weight.

Examiner tips

  • Use the exact phrases "mass stays the same" and "weight increases" to match the mark scheme.
  • Explain the reason for each change using the definition of mass and weight.
  • Keep the answer concise – one sentence per point.
  • Avoid unnecessary wording such as "in this essay" or "for example".

Common mistakes

  • Confusing mass with weight and saying mass changes.
  • Using the word "gravity" instead of "gravitational field strength".
  • Giving extra, irrelevant information such as the value of g on Earth.

Mark scheme (4 marks)

  1. Mass stays the same / is unchanged on the other planet
  2. Mass is the amount of matter in the object / mass does not depend on gravitational field strength
  3. Weight increases on this planet
  4. Weight = mass × gravitational field strength, so a greater gravitational field strength produces a greater weight / weight depends on gravitational field strength

Key terms in this question

mass · weight · gravitational field strength

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