BRAINCAKEResolving Momentum
Momentum is a vector, so like any vector it can be split into two perpendicular components. Resolving momentum makes it possible to apply conservation of momentum to objects that move in different directions.
An object of mass m moving with velocity v at an angle θ to the x-axis has momentum p = mv. Its component along the x-axis is mvcosθ and its component along the y-axis is mvsinθ.
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Key terms in this lesson
- linear momentum
- The product of an object's mass and its velocity.
More in Momentum
- Conservation of Momentum
- Explosions vs Collisions
- Elastic and Inelastic Collisions
- Air Bags
- Conservation of Momentum as a Consequence of Newton's Laws
- Impulse and Force-time Graphs
- Adding Momentum
- Conservation of Momentum in Two Dimensions
All 14 lessons in Momentum · All OCR AS-level Physics topics