Impulse (physics)

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/impulse-physics

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the related topics?Conservation of Momentum, Newton's Laws of Motion, Collisions, Work-Energy Theorem
2. What is impulse in physics?Impulse is the product of force and the time over which that force acts. It changes an object's momentum. Think of a quick push that makes a toy car zoom.
3. How do seatbelts and airbags help keep us safe in a car crash?They make the stop happen over a longer time, so the force on us is smaller. That means the impulse is less and we are less likely to get hurt.

Impulse-Momentum Theorem: The impulse applied to an object is equal to the change in its momentum.
Momentum: A vector quantity defined as the product of an object's mass and its velocity (p = mv).
Collision: An event in which two or more bodies exert forces on each other for a relatively short time.