Momentum Formula:
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The momentum formula calculates the quantity of motion an object has. It is defined as the product of an object's mass and its velocity. Momentum is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction.
The calculator uses the momentum formula:
Where:
Example Calculation: If an object has a mass of 5 kg and is moving at a velocity of 3 m/s, its momentum would be 5 × 3 = 15 kg·m/s.
Details: Momentum is a fundamental concept in physics, particularly in mechanics. It is conserved in isolated systems, making it crucial for analyzing collisions and understanding motion dynamics.
Tips: Enter mass in kilograms and velocity in meters per second. Both values must be positive numbers to calculate momentum accurately.
Q1: What is momentum in simple terms?
A: Momentum is a measure of how difficult it is to stop a moving object. The heavier and faster an object is, the more momentum it has.
Q2: Is momentum a vector or scalar quantity?
A: Momentum is a vector quantity, which means it has both magnitude and direction. The direction of momentum is the same as the direction of velocity.
Q3: How is momentum conserved?
A: In a closed system with no external forces, the total momentum before a collision equals the total momentum after the collision.
Q4: What are the units of momentum?
A: The SI unit for momentum is kilogram-meter per second (kg·m/s).
Q5: Can momentum be negative?
A: Yes, momentum can be negative since it's a vector quantity. Negative momentum indicates motion in the opposite direction of the defined positive direction.