Science Common Sense

1663 - How is a particle's momentum and the force acting on it related, and what is impulsive force.

Imagine you're playing soccer, and you kick the ball. In this case, the ball is the particle, and your foot is applying a force to it. The relationship between the particle's momentum and the force acting on it is:

Momentum (p) = mass (m) x velocity (v)

Force (F) is the push or pull that changes the momentum of the particle.

When a force acts on a particle for a short time, it's called an impulsive force. This force can change the particle's momentum quickly. Think of your foot kicking the ball - the force is applied for a short time, and it changes the ball's momentum.

To connect force and momentum, we use a simple equation:

Force (F) = change in momentum / time (Δp / Δt)

So, if a force acts on a particle for a short time, it can create a big change in momentum, which is what happens when you kick the ball.