This all-in-one online Momentum Calculator performs calculations using a formula that relates the velocity of an object and its mass to the magnitude of the momentum of that object. You can enter the values of any two known parameters in the input fields of this calculator and find the missing parameter.
Momentum Formula
Linear momentum (translational momentum, or simply momentum) is a vector physical quantity, which is a measure of the mechanical motion of an object. In Newtonian mechanics, the momentum \(\overrightarrow p\) of an object is equal to the product of the mass \(m\) of this object and its velocity \(\overrightarrow v\), the direction of the momentum coincides with the direction of the velocity vector:
$$\overrightarrow p = m \overrightarrow v.$$
The momentum of a system of objects is the vector sum of their momenta.
The most important physical law in which the momentum of an object appears is Newton’s second law of motion. It states that the rate of change of a body’s momentum is equal to the net force applied to the body.
It can be seen from the definition that the momentum of an object depends on the frame of reference. However, it can be proved that in any inertial frame, it is a conserved quantity, which follows from the fundamental property of space homogeneity. This statement means that if a closed system is not affected by external forces, its total linear momentum does not change.
Momentum has dimension M·L·T−1. The SI unit of momentum is the kilogram meter per second (kg⋅m/s), which is equivalent to the newton-second (N⋅s).
The other most common units of momentum, also used in our Momentum Calculator, are:
• 1 dyn⋅s = 10−5 kg⋅m/s
• 1 lb⋅ft/s = 0.13825484 kg⋅m/s
• 1 N⋅h = 3600 N⋅s = 3600 kg⋅m/s
• 1 dyn⋅h = 3600 dyn⋅s = 0.036 kg⋅m/s
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