Mihsaba
العربيةEnglishEspañolFrançais
Mihsaba›Impulse & Momentum Calculator

Impulse & Momentum Calculator

Calculate impulse from force and time, resulting velocity change for a known mass, and initial/final momentum.

These are idealized models: collision assumes sticking, free fall ignores air drag, and the pendulum uses the small-angle approximation.

How to use

The impulse-momentum relation connects average force and its duration to a body’s momentum change. Enter force, duration, mass and initial velocity to get J, Δv and momentum before/after.

  1. Enter signed average force.
  2. Enter force duration.
  3. Enter mass and initial velocity.
  4. Review impulse, velocity change and momentum.

How it is calculated

J=FΔt=Δp; Δv=J/m; p=mv

Example

Example: 100 N for 0.2 s gives 20 N·s. For a 10 kg mass, Δv=2 m/s.

Important notes

This uses average force over the interval. For strongly time-varying force, impulse is the integral of F(t)dt.

Frequently asked questions

Is N·s equal to kg·m/s?

Yes.

Can force be negative?

Yes, to represent the opposite chosen direction.

Does impulse depend on mass?

J=FΔt does not directly; Δv=J/m does.