Momentum is a fundamental concept in physics that describes the quantity of motion an object possesses. It is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction.

In simpler terms, momentum can be thought of as the “oomph” that an object has when it’s moving. The greater the momentum, the harder it is to stop the object or change its direction.

Mathematically, momentum (p)  is defined as the product of an object’s mass (m) and its velocity (v):

p = m · v

where:

– p is the momentum,

– m is the mass of the object, and

– v is the velocity of the object.

Momentum is conserved in isolated systems, meaning the total momentum of a system remains constant if no external forces act on it. This principle is known as the law of conservation of momentum and is fundamental in understanding various phenomena such as collisions and explosions.

Momentum is measured in units like kilogram-meters per second (kg·m/s) in the International System of Units (SI). It plays a crucial role in describing the motion of objects and is widely used in physics, engineering, and other fields.