Impulse is defined as the change in momentum of an object. It is a vector quantity and is measured by the product of the force applied to an object and the time over which the force is applied. Mathematically, impulse (J) can be expressed as J = F * Δt, where F is the force exerted on the object and Δt is the time interval over which the force acts.
One important aspect to understand is that the greater the impulse applied to an object, the greater the change in its momentum. This can be observed in various scenarios. For instance, consider a soccer player kicking a ball. When the player applies a larger force to the ball over a longer time, the ball undergoes a greater change in momentum and is propelled with more speed. Conversely, a smaller force applied over a shorter time interval results in a smaller change in momentum and less speed.
In summary, impulse is directly proportional to the change in momentum. The longer the force is applied or the greater the force applied, the larger the change in momentum will be.