5.1 — Linear Momentum
Momentum is “motion with mass” — how hard something is to stop or change once it’s moving.
🖼️ One-Page Visual Summary (Infographic)
🧭 Plot Summary
Linear momentum describes how strongly an object “keeps moving” once it’s in motion. A fast light object can have the same momentum as a slow heavy object — because momentum depends on both mass and velocity.
In this lesson, you’ll build the conceptual meaning of momentum and learn to compare situations: What matters more — speed or mass? How do direction and “who’s moving” change the story?
Why it matters:
Momentum is the foundation for explaining collisions, recoil, and why stopping distance matters. Once you understand momentum, conservation ideas become a powerful prediction tool.
Inside: detailed explanations, graphical relationships, mathematical reasoning, and guided practice.
✅ Self-Check
- ◻ I can describe momentum in words, not just a formula.
- ◻ I can explain how mass and velocity both affect momentum.
- ◻ I can compare momentum in different scenarios qualitatively.
- ◻ I can explain why momentum includes direction.