Weight of a body is defined as the gravitational force with which a body is attracted towards the centre of the earth.
NCERT Class 11 Physics
Gravitation
CBSE EXAM 2024-25
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The weight of a body is the measure of the gravitational force exerted by the Earth on it. It is defined as the force with which a body is attracted towards the center of the Earth. If g is the acceleration due to gravity at a particular location, then a body with mass m experiences a gravitational force mg towards the Earth’s center. Therefore, the weight of a body is given by W = mg.
In vector form, this is expressed as → W = m → g. Weight is a vector quantity and is measured in units of force, such as newtons or kilogram-force (kgf). Since the value of g varies from place to place, the weight of a body also changes depending on its location.