In classical mechanics, impulse is the change in momentum of an object. If the initial momentum of an object is p1, and a subsequent momentum is p2, the object has received an impulse J:
A large force applied for a very short duration, such as a golf shot, is often described as the club giving the ball an impulse.
In Newtonian mechanics, momentum is the product of the mass and velocity of an object. It is a vector quantity, possessing a magnitude and a direction. If m is an object's mass and v is its velocity, then the object's momentum p is:
Momentum of a pool cue ball is transferred to the racked balls after collision.
Ibn Sīnā (980–1037)
René Descartes (1596–1650)
Christiaan Huygens (1629–1695)