MASS Mass (m) is a measure of the amount of matter in a body.
It may also be described as a measure of a body’s inertia, or its resistance to change in its motion.
It is a scalar quantity with an SI unit of kilogram (kg). The kilogram is the only SI unit that has a prefix, kilo.
It is measured using an electronic balance. Momentum
MOMENTUM Momentum (p) is the product of mass and velocity.
MOMENTUM OF A PARTICLE
p mv p momentum
m mass v velocity
It is a vector quantity with an SI unit of kilogram metre per second (kg m s1). momentum mass velocity
‘p’ is used as the symbol for momentum because Newton used the word ‘impetus’ rather than momentum when he first developed the concept of momentum.The word impetus is derived from the Latin,‘inpetere’,which means to go towards or rush upon, so therefore we get ‘p’.
Cian Healy in action for Leinster against London Irish 36 INVESTIGATING PHYSICS
