Momentum Calculator
Calculate momentum and impulse from mass and velocity.
Please enter valid numeric values.
Momentum (p)
Impulse (J = Δp)
What Is Momentum?
Linear momentum is a vector quantity defined as the product of an object's mass and its velocity: p = m·v. It is measured in kilogram-meters per second (kg·m/s). The greater an object's mass or speed, the more momentum it carries.
Impulse-Momentum Theorem
The impulse-momentum theorem states that the impulse applied to an object equals its change in momentum: J = F·Δt = Δp. A force acting over a time interval produces a change in momentum, which is why longer contact times reduce the force required to stop a moving object.
Conservation of Momentum
In an isolated system with no external forces, the total momentum remains constant. This principle of conservation of momentum governs collisions and explosions, where the sum of momenta before an interaction equals the sum afterward.
Variables
- p - Momentum (kg·m/s)
- m - Mass (kg)
- v - Velocity (m/s)
- F - Force (N)
- Δt - Time interval (s)
- J - Impulse (N·s = kg·m/s)
Related Calculators
Note: This calculator uses idealized SI-unit physics formulas and treats momentum as a scalar along a single direction. Results may differ from real-world vector scenarios involving multiple directions or external forces.