Impulse in physics refers to the change in momentum of an object caused by a force acting on it for a certain amount of time. It is calculated as the product of force and time, and is measured in units of Newton seconds (N·s).
Impulse and momentum are closely related, as impulse is the change in momentum of an object. In other words, the impulse acting on an object is equal to the change in momentum of that object. This relationship can be expressed as the impulse-momentum theorem: FΔt = mΔv, where F is the force, Δt is the time interval, m is the mass, and Δv is the change in velocity.
Impulse and impact are often used interchangeably, but they have distinct meanings in physics. Impulse refers to the change in momentum of an object caused by a force acting on it, while impact refers to the collision between two objects. In other words, impulse is the cause of impact, while impact is the result of impulse.
Impulse has many practical applications, such as in sports. For example, in baseball, a player can increase the distance the ball will travel by increasing the impulse on the ball with a stronger swing. In addition, impulse is also important in car safety, as airbags are designed to increase the time interval of a collision, reducing the impact force and therefore the impulse on the driver and passengers.
The impulse-momentum theorem is essentially a restatement of Newton's Second Law of Motion, which states that the net force acting on an object is equal to the rate of change of its momentum. In terms of impulse, this can be written as F = mΔv/Δt, where F is the net force, m is the mass, Δv is the change in velocity, and Δt is the time interval.