What is an example of momentum?

Answer #1:

An Example of momentum is when a Big truck rolls down a hill, and then a little

car rolls down a hill. The Truck goes faster because it had a larger mass which

gave it more momentum.

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Answer #2:

The answer above illustrates a classic misunderstanding of gravity ... one that

was debunked roughly 500 years ago, but is apparently so appealing to human

senses that it refuses to die. The simple fact is that if nothing interferes with

them, then the smallest lightest objects and the biggest heaviest objects all

fall at the same rate.

Neglecting the change in the position of the earth, the truck slides down the

hill at the same speed as the car, or any other frictionless object. The size of

the trucks wheels does matter slightly, as larger wheels possess much more

angular momentum, which is sort of like a measure of how much additional

inertia an object has due to its resistance to rotation. Another error illustrated

above is the belief that mass and momentum are the same thing. While

momentum is proportional to mass, other factors are involved as well.

Momentum in Classical physics is given as follows: momentum = mass * velocity. This is inaccurate, however, if we wish to use momentum to model energy

transfers in collisions (which is mostly what it is used for). A more accurate

formula would be something like:

momentum =

{ (rest mass + extra mass due to motion) * velocity } + momentum due to wave properties.

where the momentum due to wave properties is given by:

plank's constant/wavelength for light and some other mediumless waves.

An example illustrating the usefulness of momentum as a concept in physics is

the idea of a solar sail, whereby a spacecraft could propel itself by reflecting

light off of giant mirrored sheets, sailing on a solar wind. This is only possible

because light has momentum and a portion of that momentum would be

transferred to the ship as the light bounced off/was reflected by/was absorbed

by the sail.