Momentum Calculator

Calculate momentum, mass, or velocity using p = mv. Enter any two values to solve for the third. Perfect for physics students studying collisions and conservation of momentum.

Momentum

13,400 kg·m/s

Mass

1,000 kg

Velocity

13.4 m/s

Momentum in Physics

Momentum is a fundamental concept in physics that describes the quantity of motion an object possesses. The formula p = mv shows that both mass and velocity contribute equally to momentum. A 2,000 kg SUV at 10 m/s has the same momentum as a 500 kg motorcycle at 40 m/s. This is why heavy vehicles are more destructive in collisions at the same speed — they have more momentum.

Momentum Examples

ObjectMassVelocityMomentum
Apple falling for 0.1s0.1 kg1 m/s0.1 kg·m/s
Person walking (3 mph)70 kg1.4 m/s98 kg·m/s
Car at 30 mph1000 kg13.4 m/s13,400 kg·m/s
Car at 60 mph1000 kg26.8 m/s26,800 kg·m/s
Boeing 737 at cruise70000 kg250 m/s17,500,000 kg·m/s
Bullet (10g at 900 mph)0.01 kg400 m/s4 kg·m/s

Frequently Asked Questions

What is momentum?
Momentum is a measure of an object's motion, calculated as mass times velocity: p = mv. It is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction. A heavy truck moving slowly can have the same momentum as a light car moving fast. Momentum is conserved in collisions — the total momentum before equals total momentum after (conservation of momentum).
How is momentum different from kinetic energy?
Momentum (p = mv) is a vector that is linearly proportional to velocity, while kinetic energy (KE = ½mv²) is a scalar that is proportional to velocity squared. In a collision, momentum is ALWAYS conserved, but kinetic energy is only conserved in elastic collisions. Inelastic collisions lose kinetic energy to heat, sound, and deformation, but momentum remains constant.
What is impulse?
Impulse is the change in momentum, equal to force × time (J = F × Δt = Δp). This is why airbags save lives — they increase the time over which momentum changes, reducing the force on occupants. A 60 mph crash with a stopping time of 0.1 seconds produces much higher forces than the same crash with a stopping time of 0.3 seconds (airbag).

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