Which of the following statements is incorrect about the term "impulse"?

1. It is a vector quantity.
2. If impulse and initial momentum of body is known, its final momentum can be calculated.
3. Its SI unit is kg.m/s.
4. Impulse is a product of mass and velocity.

The term 'impulse' in physics is correctly defined as a change in momentum that is related to a force applied over time. Among the statements given, the incorrect one is that impulse is a product of mass and velocity, which confuses it with momentum. Instead, impulse is defined by the force acting over time.
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Answered by Anonymous | 2025-07-03

To understand which statement about impulse is incorrect, let's go through each option:

Impulse is a vector quantity.

This is correct. Impulse is indeed a vector quantity because it is defined as the change in momentum, which also is a vector. Since vectors have both magnitude and direction, impulse will also have direction given by the force applied.


If impulse and initial momentum of a body are known, its final momentum can be calculated.

This is correct. Impulse is related to momentum by the equation: Impulse = Δ p = p final ​ − p initial ​ where Δ p is the change in momentum. Therefore, if the initial momentum and impulse are known, the final momentum can be calculated: p final ​ = p initial ​ + Impulse


Its SI unit is kg·m/s.

This is correct. The SI unit for impulse is indeed kg·m/s, which is the same as the unit for momentum. Impulse can also be expressed in newton-seconds (N·s), as 1 N·s is equivalent to 1 kg·m/s.


Impulse is a product of mass and velocity.

This statement is incorrect. Impulse is not the product of mass and velocity. Instead, it is the product of force and the time interval over which the force is applied: Impulse = F ⋅ Δ t where F is the force and Δ t is the time duration.



Therefore, the incorrect statement is option 4: "Impulse is a product of mass and velocity."

Answered by LucasMatthewHarris | 2025-07-06