Momentum is the tendency of an object to keep moving. Momentum is a vector quantity and depends on both the mass of the object and the velocity of the object. For example, two skaters of the same mass, but skating at different speeds, have different momenta. The faster skater has more momentum than the slower skater. A consequence of this is that the skater going faster will have to exert more force to stop than the skater going slower. Momentum is equal to
Do not forget that momentum depends on both mass and velocity. The following scenario illustrates the concept of momentum when there is one large skater and one small skater, both skating at the same velocity.
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© April, 1998, Montana State University-Bozeman
