1. What Is Mass Times Speed (Momentum)?

Definition: Momentum (p) is the product of an object's mass (m) and its velocity (v). It's a vector quantity with both magnitude and direction.

Purpose: Momentum describes the quantity of motion an object has and is crucial in understanding collisions, explosions, and other physics phenomena.

2. How Does the Momentum Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

Where:

• \( p \) — Momentum (kg·m/s)
• \( m \) — Mass (kilograms)
• \( v \) — Velocity (meters/second)

Explanation: The greater an object's mass or velocity, the greater its momentum. This means a heavy truck moving slowly can have the same momentum as a light bullet moving very fast.

3. Importance of Momentum in Physics

Details: Momentum is a conserved quantity in isolated systems, making it fundamental in analyzing collisions and motion. It's also related to force through Newton's Second Law (F = Δp/Δt).

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the mass in kilograms and velocity in meters per second. Both values must be positive numbers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What are the units of momentum?
A: The SI unit is kilogram-meters per second (kg·m/s). In imperial units, it's slug-feet per second.

Q2: How is momentum different from kinetic energy?
A: While both involve mass and velocity, momentum is a vector (direction matters) and is directly proportional to velocity, while kinetic energy (½mv²) is a scalar and depends on velocity squared.

Q3: What's an example of conservation of momentum?
A: When two ice skaters push off each other, their combined momentum before and after remains the same (but opposite in direction).

Q4: Can momentum be negative?
A: Yes, since velocity is a vector, momentum can be negative indicating direction opposite to your chosen positive direction.

Q5: How does momentum relate to force?
A: Force equals the rate of change of momentum (F = dp/dt). This is actually Newton's original formulation of his second law.