...
Multi-Object Systems 
The linear form of Newton's Second Law when written in terms of momentum implies that it is easily generalized to allow for a system consisting of many objects. Simply add the contributions from all the objects within the system:
| Latex |
|---|
Systems [!copyright and waiver^SectionEdit.png!|Momentum (Multi-Object] The linear form of [Newton's Second Law] when written in terms of momentum implies that it is easily generalized to allow for a [system] consisting of many objects. Simply add the contributions from all the objects within the system: {latex}\begin{large}\[ \sum_{\rm sys} \vec{p}_{f} = \sum_{\rm sys} \vec{p}_{i} + \sum_{\rm ext}\vec{J}\]\end{large}{latex} |
It
...
is
...
important
...
to
...
realize
...
that
...
although
...
we
...
are
...
now
...
allowing
...
multiple
...
objects
...
within
...
the
...
...
,
...
the
...
relevant
...
...
to
...
add
...
on
...
the
...
right
...
hand
...
side
...
of
...
...
...
...
is
...
still
...
only
...
the
...
...
...
.
...
Impulses
...
applied
...
to
...
one
...
...
...
by
...
another
...
...
...
end
...
up
...
canceling
...
out
...
of
...
the
...
equation
...
by
...
...
...
Law.
It is also worth noting that technically the concept of linear momentum applies only to collections of point particles. The momentum of a rigid body, then, must technically be thought of as the sum of the momentum of each of the atoms in the body. This sum turns out to be the body's mass times its center of mass velocity. The momentum of a system composed of many rigid bodies and point particles is then the sum of their individual momenta, which again can be expressed as the total mass of this system times the velocity of the system's center of mass.