Which property of a coin is different on the Moon compared to Earth?

• A. Mass
• B. Volume
• C. Weight
• D. Shape

Answer: (C)

The important idea is that weight depends on gravity, while mass stays the same. A coin’s mass, volume, and shape are intrinsic properties that don’t change with location. What changes with location is the gravitational pull you feel.

On the Moon, gravity is weaker—about 1.6 m/s^2 compared with Earth’s 9.8 m/s^2. Weight is the force of gravity on the object, so it’s calculated as mass times gravity. Because the Moon’s gravity is roughly six times weaker, the coin’s weight on the Moon is about six times smaller than on Earth. For example, a coin with a mass of 0.01 kg would weigh about 0.098 N on Earth and only about 0.016 N on the Moon.

So the property that differs is weight, while mass, volume, and shape remain the same.