3.4 Impulse

Physics Essential Standards Covered:

Phy.1.3.2

Conceptually and mathematically analyze Newton’s second law to relate the change in momentum, p m v , to acceleration in order to develop the impulse-momentum relationship – the impulse applied to an object is equal to the resulting change in momentum.

Key Vocabulary:

Force
Impulse - momentum
Impulse

Lesson:

Impulse: The applied force multiplied by the time during which the force is acting. AKA: a car crashes into a wall and the wall applies a specific amount of force to stop the car. The total amount of time it takes the wall to stop the car is the time for the force to be applied. This is impulse momentum or impulse force!

Impulse force = the total momentum

F = force

p = momentum

t = time

m = mass

v = velocity

So...

The equation can be rearranged to find mass:

mass is directly proportional to the impulse and inversely proportional to the velocity.
If the mass increases, the velocity must decrease. (the bigger you are the harder it is to move)

Example:

Impulse Force vs Time Graphs

The force and time can be graphed similarly to how velocity or speed is graphed. An force vs. time graph. The impulse is the area under the curve or plotted line of the force vs. time graph.

The area under the curve is the impulse so we need to use some geometry

Notice how this is exactly like:

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