When an object is taken to a higher altitude, how do its mass and weight change?

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Enhance your knowledge for the ASU PHY101 Exam. Prepare with multiple choice questions, flashcards, and explanations. Get exam ready with ease!

When an object is taken to a higher altitude, its mass remains constant regardless of location. Mass is a measure of the amount of matter in an object and does not change based on altitude or location in a gravitational field.

However, weight is the force exerted on an object due to gravity and is calculated by the equation (Weight = Mass \times Gravity). As an object is moved to a higher altitude, the force of gravity acting on it decreases slightly since gravitational force diminishes with distance from the center of the Earth. As a result, while the mass remains unchanged, the decrease in gravitational force leads to a reduction in weight.

Therefore, at higher altitudes, the mass of the object stays the same, while its weight decreases due to the reduced gravitational pull.

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