How Does Momentum Define Motion in Physics?

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In summary, "Momentum" is a quantity of motion that is defined as the product of an object's mass and velocity. It is conserved in a system of point particles and is an important concept in physics.
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JULIE PA double ®
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What exactly is "Momentum"?

What exactly is "Momentum"?
 
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Geez julie! You're smart let me tell ya:) lol I'm not sure what you mean by saying "what exactly is momentum" but i know for our class it's that little P thing...and it's mass 'x' velocity:) hopefully that helped you out;)
 
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Originally posted by JULIE PA double ®
What exactly is "Momentum"?

Consider a system of point particles bouncing around and off each other in an inertial frame of referance. Define a quantity massociated with each particle such that the quantity mv is conserved. Give the name mass to the quantity "m". It is found experimentally that such a quantity exists for each particle. Define the quantity p as p = mv. The quantity p is called the momentum of the particle whose mass is m and whose velocity is v.
 
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Originally posted by JULIE PA double ®
What exactly is "Momentum"?
Quantity of motion.
 

FAQ: How Does Momentum Define Motion in Physics?

What exactly is Momentum?

Momentum is a physical quantity that describes the motion of an object. It is a measure of the amount of motion an object has and is dependent on the mass and velocity of the object.

How is momentum calculated?

Momentum is calculated by multiplying an object's mass by its velocity. The equation for momentum is P = m * v, where P is momentum, m is mass, and v is velocity.

What are the units of momentum?

The units of momentum are kilogram-meters per second (kg∙m/s) in the metric system and slug-feet per second (slug∙ft/s) in the imperial system.

Why is momentum important?

Momentum is important because it is a fundamental concept in physics and helps us understand the motion of objects. It is also conserved, meaning it remains constant unless acted upon by an external force.

How does momentum relate to Newton's laws of motion?

Momentum is closely related to Newton's laws of motion. The first law states that an object at rest will remain at rest and an object in motion will remain in motion with a constant velocity unless acted upon by an external force. This is directly related to the conservation of momentum. The second law states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass. This can be expressed as F = ma, where F is force, m is mass, and a is acceleration. The third law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. This means that when two objects collide, the total momentum of the system remains the same before and after the collision.

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