if i throw a 2kg glob of clay and hit a wall at 3 m/s, how much momentum do i impact to the clay/wall? why?
To calculate the momentum, you need to multiply the mass of the clay by its velocity. In this case, the mass of the clay is 2 kg and the velocity is 3 m/s.
Momentum = Mass × Velocity
Substituting the values:
Momentum = 2 kg × 3 m/s
Momentum = 6 kg·m/s
Therefore, the impact momentum on the clay/wall is 6 kg·m/s.
The reason you calculate momentum by multiplying mass and velocity is because momentum is a measure of an object's motion. It takes into account both the mass (how much matter is in the object) and the velocity (how fast the object is moving). By multiplying these two factors together, you get the momentum, which tells you how much "oomph" the object has during its motion.