Momentum

Momentum is the power a moving object has. A heavy thing moving fast has lots of momentum. A light thing moving slow has very little. Momentum is hard to stop once it gets going. A big truck has way more momentum than a bike.

How Momentum Works

Momentum depends on two things. One is how heavy something is. The other is how fast it is going. A fast-moving ball has more momentum than a slow one. A bowling ball has more momentum than a tennis ball going the same speed. That is why the bowling ball knocks down the pins.

Stopping Momentum

To stop something with lots of momentum, you need a strong force. Brakes stop a car by using friction. A baseball catcher's glove stops a fast ball. When two things crash, they can share their momentum. This is why games like pool or marbles are so fun to play.

Fun Facts

• A freight train has so much momentum it takes over a mile to stop.
• Ice skaters spin faster by pulling in their arms.
• Rockets use momentum by pushing gas down so they shoot up.

Did You Know?

When a small car hits a big truck, the truck barely moves because it has much more momentum.