The area under a force-versus-time curve is:
a) momentum
b) impulse
c) velocity
what's the area under a force-vs-time curve: momentum, impulse, or velocity?
velocity
The area under a force-versus-time curve is called impulse. To understand this concept, let's break it down:
Impulse is defined as the change in momentum of an object. Momentum, in turn, is the product of an object's mass and velocity. Therefore, to calculate the impulse, we need to know how the force acting on an object changes its velocity over a certain time interval.
To find the impulse, we can simply calculate the area under the force-vs-time curve. Each section of the graph represents a force acting on the object over a specific time interval. The area under the curve represents the accumulated effect of these forces on the object's momentum.
By integrating the force-vs-time curve, we find the total impulse experienced by the object, which can subsequently be used to determine the change in momentum. Keep in mind that impulse has units of force multiplied by time (N•s or kg•m/s).
Therefore, the correct answer to the question "what's the area under a force-vs-time curve: momentum, impulse, or velocity?" is b) impulse.