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Momentum
In classical mechanics, the momentum p (latin: pellere) is the product of the mass and velocity of an object.
Explanation
The momentum is a measure of how hard it is to stop a moving object. It is a three-dimensional vector quantity, possessing a magnitude and a direction. If m is an object's mass and v is the velocity (also a vector), then the momentum is
p = m v
where
p Momentum m Mass v Velocity
HistoryThe first correct description of momentum was by English mathematician John Wallis in his 1670 book Mechanica sive De Motu, Tractatus Geometricus. |