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impulse A level physics

What's impulse?

cuz when I was reading through the mechanics stuff it was saying that impulse is the change in momentum, F∆t = ∆(mv) with "F∆t" being impulse

but when I was reading through the thermal physics stuff in deriving the kinetic theory model formula it was like - impulse is the rate of change of momentum with "F" being impulse so basically "time" had been divided from both sides.

So is impulse defined differently in thermal and mechanics or am I just understanding it wrong?

Reply 1

blackugo

I think you're misinterpreting the thermal physics. The rate of change of momentum is force. F =Δp/Δt. That is not the impulse. The impulse is just Δp. Or the area underneath the force time graph.