The concept of inertia and momentum are regularly confused because of their similar definitions. Inertia is the resistance offered by a body to the motion whereas momentum is the tendency of a body to continue moving. Let us look at the differences between the two to understand the concept better.
Difference between Momentum and Inertia
| Momentum | Inertia |
|---|---|
| Momentum is a vector quantity as it the tendency of a body to remain in motion. | Inertia is a scalar quantity as it is the resistance offered by the body to any change in its velocity. |
| Momentum is denoted as ‘p’. | Inertia is denoted as ‘I’. |
| The momentum of a body of mass ‘m’ moving with a velocity of ‘v’ is calculated as p=m×v | The inertia cannot be calculated using a formula. |
| Linear momentum and angular momentum are the two types of momentum. | The inertia of rest, inertia of motion, and inertia of direction are the three types of inertia. |
| Momentum depends on mass and velocity. | Inertia depends only on mass. |
| The total momentum is conserved. | Inertia has nothing to do with the conservation of energy. |
The difference between momentum and inertia should be understood clearly as these are an important topic in Physics. To know more about momentum and inertia, Visit BYJU’S.
