Mass is sometimes referred to in terms of what?

Mass is sometimes referred to in terms of what?

• A. Velocity
• B. Force
• C. Weight
• D. Inertia

Answer: (D)

Mass is a measure of inertia, the property of matter that resists changes to its motion. When an object has more mass, it resists speeding up or slowing down more strongly, so the same force produces a smaller acceleration. That connection—how much an object resists changes in motion—is why mass is described in terms of inertia. Remember that weight is the gravitational force on that mass (weight can vary with gravity), velocity is about how fast and in what direction the object is moving, and force is what causes acceleration. The idea that mass reflects inertia best captures why heavier objects are harder to accelerate.

Mass is a measure of inertia, the property of matter that resists changes to its motion. When an object has more mass, it resists speeding up or slowing down more strongly, so the same force produces a smaller acceleration. That connection—how much an object resists changes in motion—is why mass is described in terms of inertia. Remember that weight is the gravitational force on that mass (weight can vary with gravity), velocity is about how fast and in what direction the object is moving, and force is what causes acceleration. The idea that mass reflects inertia best captures why heavier objects are harder to accelerate.