Question

The matter contained in a body is called: ____.

• A. impulsive force
• B. mass
• C. weight
• D. momentum

Hint:

To remember the difference: Mass is for Matter (constant), while Weight is for Where you are (changes with gravity).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Every physical object is made of atoms and molecules. The total quantity of this physical "stuff" or matter within an object defines a fundamental property that remains constant regardless of the object's location in the universe.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Mass is defined as the measure of the amount of matter in an object. It is a scalar quantity and its SI unit is the kilogram (kg). Unlike weight, mass does not change based on gravity; whether an object is on Earth, the Moon, or in deep space, the "matter contained" within it remains exactly the same. Mass also serves as a measure of an object's inertia (resistance to change in motion).

Step 3: Final Answer:
The matter contained in a body is called its mass.

Answer 2

We can identify which term correctly means the matter contained in a body by checking which of the four quantities stays exactly the same when an object is moved from Earth to a place with different gravity, such as the Moon, since the amount of matter in an object cannot change just because its location changes.

1. Impulsive force: A force, including an impulsive one, depends entirely on the interaction happening at that moment, it isn't a fixed property of the body at all, and has nothing to do with how much matter the body contains.
2. Mass: If you carried an object from Earth to the Moon, the number of atoms and molecules making it up would not change at all, so its mass stays exactly the same. This matches the idea of matter contained in a body perfectly, since it is a property that travels with the object regardless of location.
3. Weight: Weight is the gravitational force pulling the object downward, and it depends on the local gravity. On the Moon, where gravity is about one-sixth of Earth's, the same object weighs about one-sixth as much, even though nothing about its matter content has changed. So weight cannot be what defines matter contained.
4. Momentum: Momentum depends on both mass and velocity, so an object at rest has zero momentum regardless of how much matter it contains. Since momentum can be changed just by making the object move faster or slower, without adding or removing any matter, it cannot be equated with matter contained either.

Only mass remains unchanged regardless of location or motion, matching the definition of the matter contained in a body.

Therefore, the correct answer is mass.