Linear momentum combines mass with velocity and therefore has direction.
Difficulty
Beginner
Read time
5 min
Prerequisites
Basic algebra and consistent SI units
Source
OpenStax, College Physics 2e, §8.1 (Paul Peter Urone and Roger Hinrichs)Textbook reference retained from the OpenFormulaGraph dataset; adaptation credits and license are provided below.
Adapted from OpenFormulaGraph, under CC BY 4.0.
FormuLab adapted the notation, explanations, assumptions, and topic placement, and expanded the numerical check into a worked example.
Linear momentum combines mass with velocity and therefore has direction. In one dimension a sign records that direction; in several dimensions the relation applies to vectors. This definition alone does not imply momentum is conserved.
| Symbol | Meaning | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Signed linear-momentum component | ||
| Mass | ||
| Signed velocity component |
Calculate momentum before applying conservation.
Relate a momentum change to an impulse.
A 2.00 kg cart moves at +3.00 m/s along a track. Find its momentum along the track.
Textbook reference retained from the OpenFormulaGraph dataset; adaptation credits and license are provided below.
Adapted from OpenFormulaGraph, under CC BY 4.0.
FormuLab adapted the notation, explanations, assumptions, and topic placement, and expanded the numerical check into a worked example.
Assumptions
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