Lesson: Momentum Physics • 9th Grade

In this lesson, we will learn how to use the formula for momentum, p = mv, to calculate the momentum of objects and calculate changes in an object’s momentum.

Lesson Plan

Students will be able to

use the formula in all combinations,
demonstrate that differences in velocity imply differences in momentum,
demonstrate that differences in mass imply differences in momentum,
explain that momenta of multiple objects can be summed to find their total momentum,
identify momentum as a vector quantity,
demonstrate that momenta in opposite directions have opposite signs when summed.

Lesson Presentation

Lesson Video

Lesson Explainer

Lesson Worksheet

Q1:

A cricket ball of mass 160 g has a constant velocity of 10 m/s. A golf ball of mass 40 g has the same velocity as the cricket ball. What velocity change must the cricket ball undergo to have the same momentum as the golf ball?

Q2:

How many times greater is the momentum of a 1,500 kg mass hippo moving at 0.25 m/s than a 75 g mass bird flying at 10 m/s?

Q3:

A book falls off the edge of a table. The book accelerates at 9.8 m/s² for 0.15 s and its momentum after falling for 0.15 s is 0.147 kg⋅m/s. What is the book’s mass in grams?