What distinguishes inertial mass from gravitational mass?

Inertial mass and gravitational mass are concepts that refer to different properties of mass in physics. The statement that inertial mass relates to motion while gravitational mass relates to gravity accurately captures the distinction between the two.

Inertial mass is a measure of an object's resistance to changes in its state of motion when a net force is applied. It quantifies how much force is required to accelerate the object. Therefore, it is directly connected to Newton's second law of motion, which states that force equals mass times acceleration (F = ma).

Gravitational mass, on the other hand, determines the strength of the gravitational force experienced by an object in a gravitational field. It tells us how strongly an object will interact with gravity, essentially defining how much the object will be attracted to another mass, such as Earth.

This distinction helps clarify how mass is perceived in two different contexts: one related to movement and the effects of force (inertial) and the other pertaining to gravitational interactions (gravitational). Although in many cases they yield equivalent values (as described by the equivalence principle), the reasoning behind their definitions arises from different physical principles and situations.