Here’s the secret sauce: momentum = mass × velocity. That’s it. No calculus, no black magic.
We write it as p = m × v. Why p? Because physicists like to be mysterious. (Or maybe they already used m for mass. Who knows?)
So you just need two things: how much stuff (mass) is moving, and how fast (velocity) it’s going. Easy peasy.
Step 1: Find the Mass
Mass is the amount of “oomph” in the object. It’s not weight—that’s gravity being clingy. Mass is just how many atoms are giving high-fives inside.
Get a scale. If you’re measuring a bowling ball, it’s probably around 6 kilograms. A feather? Like 0.001 kilograms. Yes, that matters.
For the love of all things nerdy, use kilograms (kg). If you use pounds, the physics police will send you a strongly worded letter.
Step 2: Find the Velocity
Velocity is just speed with a sense of direction. Your car going 60 mph north has velocity. Going 60 mph in circles? That’s just confusing (and a bad rollercoaster).
You need meters per second (m/s) for standard physics. So if you’re driving 60 mph, that’s about 27 m/s. Don’t worry—you can Google the conversion. Physics won’t judge you for cheating.
Example: a baseball thrown at 40 m/s. That’s a fastball. That’s also a bruised catcher’s mitt.
