Momentum Calculator (p = m·v)
Compute linear momentum from mass and velocity. Result in kg·m/s, with a comparison to a typical small car at highway speed.
Result
- In g·cm/s (CGS)580,000 g·cm/s
- Vs a 1500 kg car at 100 km/hReference car momentum ≈ 41 670 kg·m/s.0.014%
Step-by-step
- p = m × v.
- p = 0.145 kg × 40 m/s = 5.800 kg·m/s.
How to use this calculator
- Enter the mass of the object in kilograms.
- Enter the velocity in metres per second.
- Read momentum in kg·m/s. The breakdown compares to a small car at 100 km/h.
About this calculator
Momentum is mass in motion: the product of an object's mass and its velocity, p = m·v. It is a vector quantity (direction matters) and is conserved in any closed system — that is the principle behind every collision analysis and rocket-propulsion problem. The total momentum before equals the total momentum after, regardless of whether the collision is elastic or inelastic. Impulse (force × time) equals change in momentum, which is why crumple zones and airbags work: they extend the time of a collision, reducing the peak force for the same Δp. Momentum is measured in kg·m/s; the CGS unit g·cm/s is occasionally used in particle physics.