Question

Is the impulse a vector quantity?

Answer 1

Yes, impulse is a vector quantity.

`J = F_(avg)*Deltat`
`J = Deltap`
`J = p_(2) - p_(1)`

(`J` is impulse, `p` is momentum, and `t` is time)

In the first equation, the average force is a vector quantity, which means that impulse must also be a vector quantity because a scalar times a vector is always a vector.

The second and third equations describe impulse in terms of momentum. Momentum is a vector since it is the product of velocity and mass, therefore impulse must be a vector quantity because the difference of two vectors is still a vector.