In
classical mechanics,
linear momentum or
translational momentum (
pl. momenta;
SI unit
kg m/s, or equivalently,
Newton second) is the product of the
mass and
velocity of an object. For example, a heavy truck moving rapidly has a large momentum—it takes a large or prolonged force to get the truck up to this speed, and it takes a large or prolonged force to bring it to a stop afterwards. If the truck were lighter, or moving more slowly, then it would have less momentum.