Unit 5 • Momentum
5.2 — Impulse and Momentum
Impulse is how momentum changes — the “push over time” that turns one motion into another.
🖼️ One-Page Visual Summary (Infographic)
🧭 Plot Summary
Momentum describes how strongly an object continues moving — but momentum can change. The key question is: what causes momentum to change, and by how much?
Impulse connects force and time to momentum change. A large force for a short time can produce the same change as a smaller force applied longer. This is why airbags, padding, and “follow-through” matter in sports.
Why it matters:
Impulse explains safety design and collision outcomes. If you can increase the time of a collision, you can reduce the force experienced — without changing the momentum change.
🔎 Detailed Lesson Overview
Inside: detailed explanations, graphical relationships, mathematical reasoning, and guided practice.
✅ Self-Check
- ◻ I can explain impulse as a force applied over time.
- ◻ I can connect impulse to change in momentum conceptually.
- ◻ I can explain why increasing collision time reduces force.
- ◻ I can compare different scenarios that produce the same momentum change.