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Originally Posted by tongzilla
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First one: the definition of acceleration. Homer says:
"A change in the product of Mass times Velocity"
Fact:
Mass times velocity = momentum
Change in mass times velocity = change in momentum = impulse
Base units for acceleration is meters per seconds squared, whereas base units for momentum and impulse is kilograms meters per second. They are two completely different concepts.
So the definition is just plain wrong. I tried to make an excuse for Homer, but I couldn't find one!
I hope somone can give me a good explanation for this! I want to think that I am the one who has this wrong, because I can't imagine Homer making such a basic mistake.
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A moving body has
momentum (mass times velocity). There will be no change in this momentum until an outside force is applied to the object.
An
impulse describes how this change in momentum occurs, with the amount of
force and the
length of time it is applied determining the ultimate effect. And any such change in that momentum, i.e., a change in either mass or velocity, will result in the
acceleration (or deceleration) of that moving body.