Enter the initial velocity, the final velocity, and the mass into the calculator to determine the Change in Momentum. 

Change in Momentum Formula

The following equation is used to calculate the Change in Momentum.

dp = (Vf-Vi) *m
  • Where dp  is the Change in Momentum (m/s*kg)
  • Vi is the initial velocity (m/s)
  • Vf is the final velocity (m/s)
  • m is the mass (kg)

To calculate the change in momentum, multiply the change in velocity by the change in mass.

What are the units for Change in Momentum?

The most common units for Change in Momentum are m/s*kg.

How to Calculate Change in Momentum?

Example Problem:

The following example problem outlines the steps and information needed to calculate the Change in Momentum.

First, determine the initial velocity. In this example, the initial velocity is determined to be 60 (m/s).

Next, determine the final velocity. For this problem, the final velocity is measured to be 70 (m/s).

Next, determine the mass. In this case, the mass is found to be 10 (kg).

Finally, calculate the Change in Momentum using the formula above: 

dp = (Vf-Vi) *m

Inserting the values from above and solving the equation with the imputed values gives: 

dp = (70-60) *10 = 100 (m/s*kg)