Impulse (physics) - Examples of Impulse

Examples of Impulse

Impulse is:

The gun powder accelerating the bullet in a rifle,
The bow string accelerating the arrow,
The rocket engines accelerating the shuttle,
The fist accelerating the punching bag.

In general impulse is the force applied to a given object with a given mass for a given period of time. This will decide the amount of acceleration, final velocity and the kinetic energy stored in that object. If you know momentum and the mass of the object you do not need acceleration to calculate final velocity. Momentum is conserved. If an object slows down a certain amount of energy is transferred from the object to the environment. This transfer could be in the form of acceleration or deceleration of another object or heat due to friction or collision.

Read more about this topic:  Impulse (physics)

Famous quotes containing the words examples of, examples and/or impulse:

    Histories are more full of examples of the fidelity of dogs than of friends.
    Alexander Pope (1688–1744)

    It is hardly to be believed how spiritual reflections when mixed with a little physics can hold people’s attention and give them a livelier idea of God than do the often ill-applied examples of his wrath.
    —G.C. (Georg Christoph)

    One impulse from a vernal wood
    May teach you more of man,
    Of moral evil and of good,
    Than all the sages can.
    William Wordsworth (1770–1850)