Linear Momentum

LINEAR MOMENTUM

The impact of a force is more if the velocity and the mass of the body is more. To quantify the impact of a force exactly, a new physical quantity known as linear momentum is defined. The linear momentum measures the impact of a force on a body.

The product of mass and velocity of a moving body gives the magnitude of linear momentum. It acts in the direction of the velocity of the object. Linear momentum is a vector quantity.

Linear Momentum = mass × velocity

p = m v. . . . . . (1.1)

It helps to measure the magnitude of a force. Unit of momentum in SI system is kg m s–1 and in C.G.S system its unit is g cm s-1.