Question

Which has more momentum, a `5kg` object moving at `6m/s` or a `12kg` object moving at `2m/s`?

Answer 1

The object with velocity 6m/s and with mass 5kg has more momentum.

Explanation:

Momentum is defined as the quantity of motion contained in a body and as such, it depends equally on the mass of the body and the velocity with which it moves. Since it depends on the velocity and also as the definition above goes, if there is no motion, momentum is zero (because the velocity is zero). Further, depending upon velocity is what makes it a vector too.

Mathematically, momentum, `vec p` , is given by:
`vec p = m*vec v`
where, `m` is the mass of the object and `vec v` is the velocity with which it moves.

Therefore, applying the above formula for momentum to the problem above, it is indeed trivial to say that the object with mass 5kg and moving with a velocity of 6m/s has more momentum than an object having mass 12kg but moving slow at 2m/s.