Chapter 6

Linear Momentum

When an object moves, it is necessary to account for both its mass and its velocity.
Think for a minute about the difference in being hit with an inflatable beach ball
traveling at 15 m/s (33 mi/h) or being hit by a motorcycle traveling at the same
velocity. Ouch! Mass is definitely important. Velocity’s “impact” (pun intended) is
revealed by considering the difference between a baseball hit by an eight-year-old
little leaguer and one hit by an adult Major League player. In this chapter, we will
discuss linear momentum, impulse, what happens when objects collide, and the
center of mass of a system of objects.