Momentum is defined as p = m v. On which quantities does momentum depend?

• A. Mass and velocity.
• B. Time and acceleration.
• C. Mass and position.
• D. Force and velocity.

Answer: (A)

Momentum depends on mass and velocity because it is the product p = m v. If you increase the mass while keeping velocity the same, momentum goes up; if you increase velocity with the same mass, momentum also goes up. Time, acceleration, position, or force don’t set the current momentum directly (time and acceleration describe how momentum changes, and force relates to that change via F = dp/dt). In short, the current momentum is determined by how much matter there is (mass) and how fast it’s moving (velocity).