Does a boy in rest have momentum?

1 Answer
Jul 1, 2018

Well, technically yes... and no.

Explanation:

Momentum is given by the equation:

#p=mv#

where:

  • #p# is the momentum of the object

  • #m# is the mass of the object

  • #v# is the velocity of the object

Since the boy's at rest, his velocity is #0#, and his momentum is therefore #p=m*0=0# as well.

We can say in physics that the boy has no momentum. However, in a philosophical sense, we could also claim that yes, the boy has momentum, but its value is #0#.

So, in my opinion, the answer depends on which way you're thinking from.