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Momentum is a fundamental concept in physics that describes the quantity of motion of a moving object. It is defined as the product of an object's mass and its velocity. Mathematically, momentum (p) is represented by the equation p = mv, where 'm' is the mass of the object and 'v' is its velocity. Momentum is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction, just like velocity. The direction of the momentum is the same as the direction of the velocity.

The concept of momentum is closely related to Newton's laws of motion, particularly the second law. It states that the net force acting on an object is equal to the rate of change of its momentum. This means that a force is required to change an object's momentum, either by altering its speed or its direction. A key principle associated with momentum is the law of conservation of momentum, which states that in a closed system, the total momentum remains constant. This means that momentum can be transferred between objects, but the sum of their individual momenta will not change, assuming no external forces are acting. This principle is crucial for understanding collisions and interactions between objects. For example, in a collision between two billiard balls, the total momentum of the system before the collision is equal to the total momentum after the collision. Momentum is measured in units of kilogram-meters per second (kg⋅m/s) in the International System of Units.