<P> Mass is both a property of a physical body and a measure of its resistance to acceleration ( a change in its state of motion ) when a net force is applied . It also determines the strength of its mutual gravitational attraction to other bodies . The basic SI unit of mass is the kilogram ( kg ) . In physics , mass is not the same as weight , even though mass is often determined by measuring the object 's weight using a spring scale , rather than balance scale comparing it directly with known masses . An object on the Moon would weigh less than it does on Earth because of the lower gravity , but it would still have the same mass . This is because weight is a force , while mass is the property that ( along with gravity ) determines the strength of this force . </P>
<P> Mass is both a property of a physical body and a measure of its resistance to acceleration ( a change in its state of motion ) when a net force is applied . It also determines the strength of its mutual gravitational attraction to other bodies . The basic SI unit of mass is the kilogram ( kg ) . In physics , mass is not the same as weight , even though mass is often determined by measuring the object 's weight using a spring scale , rather than balance scale comparing it directly with known masses . An object on the Moon would weigh less than it does on Earth because of the lower gravity , but it would still have the same mass . This is because weight is a force , while mass is the property that ( along with gravity ) determines the strength of this force . </P>
what metric unit is used to describe the mass of an object
what metric unit is used to describe the mass of an object
kilogram
kilogram