What is meant by weight?

• A. The mass of gravity acting on a body.
• B. The force due to buoyancy in air.
• C. The inertia of the body.
• D. The measure of the force of gravity acting on a body.

Answer: (D)

Weight is the gravitational force acting on a body. It is a force, not a property like mass. The weight of an object equals its mass times the acceleration due to gravity (W = m g). Because gravity can vary with location, weight can change even if mass stays the same. In aviation, weight is crucial for balance and performance calculations.

The buoyant force is a separate force exerted by the surrounding fluid, not the weight itself. Inertia is a property related to mass—the resistance to changes in motion—not the force of gravity acting on the body. The idea of a "mass of gravity acting on a body" isn’t a correct physical concept. So the statement describing weight as the measure of the force of gravity acting on a body is the best fit.