Hi! so for my science experiment, I need to have a definition for momentum. I dont want one from a dictionary, but just a good 1 sentence explanation for momentum in physics would be great! thank you! :)
-
I don't understand the question. There is one and only one definition of momentum and it is very specific.
Momentum is the product of mass * velocity.
People have many weird and vague ideas. They confuse momentum with kinetic energy for example.
Or with approximate ideas of inertia.
But these have no relevance to a scientist.
In terms of the comment THE EQUATION IS THE DEFINITION.
That is what I was trying to tell you.
Anything else is either false, or a consequence of that very definition.
There is no other valid DEFINITION of momentum.
None, nil, zero, zip.
Momentum is the product of mass * velocity.
People have many weird and vague ideas. They confuse momentum with kinetic energy for example.
Or with approximate ideas of inertia.
But these have no relevance to a scientist.
In terms of the comment THE EQUATION IS THE DEFINITION.
That is what I was trying to tell you.
Anything else is either false, or a consequence of that very definition.
There is no other valid DEFINITION of momentum.
None, nil, zero, zip.
-
Momentum can be considered the "power" when an object is moving, meaning how much force it can have on another object. For example, a bowling ball (large mass) pushed very slowly (low velocity) can hit a glass door and not break it, while a baseball (small mass) can be thrown fast (high velocity) and break the same window. The baseball has a larger momentum than the bowling ball. Because momentum is the product of the mass and the velocity of an object, that both mass and velocity affect the momentum of an object. As shown, an object with a large mass and low velocity can have the same momentum as an object with a small mass and large velocity.
-
Mass times velocity
p = mv
p = mv