Momentum
/məˈmentəm/
Definitions
2 meaningsThe quantity of motion of a moving body, equal to the product of its mass and velocity.
/məˈmentəm/
The quantity of motion of a moving body, measured as the product of its mass and velocity.
The collision transferred momentum from the truck to the car.
💡 Simply: Imagine a bowling ball rolling down the lane. The heavier the ball and the faster it moves, the more "oomph" or momentum it has to knock down the pins.
👶 For kids: How strong something is when it's moving! Like a fast race car has a lot of momentum.
More Examples
Newton's first law of motion describes the conservation of momentum.
The rocket gained momentum as the engines fired.
How It's Used
"The momentum of the car increased as it accelerated."
"Engineers need to consider momentum when designing bridges to withstand earthquakes."
The impetus or driving force gained by the development of a process or course of events.
/məˈmentəm/
The campaign to raise awareness is gathering momentum.
💡 Simply: Imagine a group of friends planning a party. At first, they're just talking about it. But once they start making plans and spreading the word, the party gains momentum and becomes more and more likely to happen!
👶 For kids: When things start to move forward faster and faster! Like a fun game that everyone starts to play more and more.
More Examples
After a strong start, the project lost momentum due to budget cuts.
The team lost momentum in the second half of the game.
How It's Used
"The company's sales gained momentum after the new advertising campaign."
"The protest movement gained momentum with each passing day."
Idioms & expressions
lose momentum
To slow down or stop progressing.
"The investigation lost momentum after the key witness disappeared."
gain momentum
To start or continue to move forward with increasing speed or force.
"The project began to gain momentum with the addition of new resources."
From Latin *momentum* ('movement, impulse'), derived from *movēre* ('to move'). Originally used in mechanics, later extended to figurative senses.
The term 'momentum' was originally used in the study of mechanics by scientists such as Newton. Its figurative use evolved over time.
Memory tip
Think of a rolling ball: the heavier and faster it goes, the more momentum it has.
Word Origin
"movement, impulse"