Momentum

Momentum

A moving object has momentum. This is the tendency of the object to keep moving in the same direction.

• • Momentum can be considered as "the quantity of motion" or "the amount of motion": how much stuff is moving and how fast the stuff is moving.

Momentum is a quantity which involves the velocity and mass of an object.

• • p = mv

  • The unit of momentum is kg m/s

  • Momentum is a vector quantity (because velocity is a vector).

Collisions and Explosions

Momentum is a useful quantity to consider when collisions between different objects occur, or when explosions break objects into pieces or push objects apart. 

An 'explosion' can be simulated using two people standing on skateboards who push each other apart - they will end up moving away from each other at different speeds. 

The total momentum is conserved immediately after the collision and explosion.