Impulse and Momentum

When a basketball team scores ten unanswered points, it is said to have momentum. When a football team scores twice in a row and forces its opponent to punt, it has momentum. When a baseball team wins the first three games of the world series, it, too, has momentum.

In addition to being an everyday term, momentum also has a specific definition in physics, and understanding momentum allows you a powerful tool for problem solving.

Essential Questions:

• What is impulse and how is it calculated?
• What is momentum and how is it calculated?
• What is the relationship between impulse and momentum?