Enter the final velocity, the change in velocity, and the mass into the calculator to determine the Initial Momentum. 

Initial Momentum Formula

The following equation is used to calculate the Initial Momentum.

pi = (Vf - dV) * m
  • Where pi is the Initial Momentum (m/s*kg)
  • Vf is the final velocity (m/s)
  • dV is the change in velocity (m/s)
  • m is the mass (kg)

To calculate the initial momentum, subtract the change in velocity from the final velocity, then multiply by the mass.

What are the units for Initial Momentum?

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

How to Calculate Initial Momentum?

Example Problem:

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

First, determine the final velocity. In this example, the final velocity is determined to be 50 (m/s).

Next, determine the change in velocity. For this problem, the change in velocity is measured to be 20 (m/s).

Next, determine the mass. In this case, the mass is found to be 3 (kg).

Finally, calculate the Initial Momentum using the formula above: 

pi = (Vf – dV) * m

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

pi = (50-20) * 3 = 10(m/s*kg)