Momentum is defined as what physical concept?

• A. Inertia
• B. Velocity
• C. Momentum
• D. Force

Answer: (C)

Momentum is defined as the product of mass and velocity. It’s a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction that align with the object's motion. The expression p = m v captures this idea, and its units are kilogram meters per second.

This concept matters because momentum measures how much motion an object has and is especially useful in analyzing collisions, where momentum is conserved in isolated systems. Inertia is about the resistance to changes in motion, not motion itself. Velocity tells you how fast something is moving and in what direction, but not how much motion (mass) the object carries. Force describes an interaction that can change momentum, and in fact relates to motion via F = dp/dt—the rate at which momentum changes.