Host: Welcome back to Physics & Pop Culture, the show where we make science as iconic as a Regina George monologue. Today, we’re tackling momentum—one of the most important concepts in AP Physics C. And, honey, if you’re not paying attention, you might just get hit by the metaphorical bus of confusion. So grab your Burn Book, your graphing calculator, and let’s get into it. Momentum: The Power of Regina George Momentum (p = mv) is literally mass times velocity. That’s it. That’s the whole formula. But let’s spice it up. Imagine Regina George—queen of North Shore High. She’s got mass (popularity, influence) and velocity (her ability to make things happen). If she’s walking slowly to class, she’s got momentum, but it’s nothing crazy. But if she’s storming down the hallway, ready to destroy someone? That momentum is dangerous. Now, let’s say Karen Smith is also walking, but she’s kind of just floating through life, no real speed, no real power. Even though she has mass, her velocity is low, so her momentum is weak. Moral of the story? The bigger the mass and the faster the velocity, the harder it is to stop that bitch. Impulse: The Burn Book Drop Impulse is the change in momentum caused by an external force acting over time. The formula? J = Δp = FΔt Translation: Impulse (J) = Force (F) times time (t). Let’s bring in the Burn Book. When Regina drops those pages into the hallway, she applies a force over a very short period of time—instant chaos. The shorter the time, the bigger the force needed to cause that change. Now, imagine if Regina slowly revealed Burn Book secrets over a longer period of time—less drama at once, right? That’s because the impact would be spread out. But since she drops it all at once, BAM! Maximum impulse, maximum destruction. And, babe, this applies to real physics, too. If you’re in a car crash, would you rather stop instantly or gradually with an airbag? Instant stop = Huge force, massive impulse, you’re in trouble. Gradual stop (longer time) = Smaller force, less damage. So next time you see a Burn Book moment happening, just know: impulse is at work, ruining lives one second at a time. Conservation of Momentum: Cafeteria Battle Royale Physics law: Total momentum in a closed system stays the same. No exceptions. Now, think about that cafeteria fight scene. Before the Burn Book, the school’s social structure was stable—people were moving in predictable ways, minding their own business. That’s our initial momentum. Then, BOOM—chaos erupts. People are lunging at each other, food trays are flying, but here’s the thing: the total momentum of the cafeteria stays the same. It’s just redistributed into all these different fights. This is exactly what happens in physics. If two objects collide in a closed system (like the school), their total momentum before and after the collision is the same. The energy just transfers into different places—aka the chaos factor. Elastic vs. Inelastic Collisions: Gretchen, Stop Trying to Make Fetch Happen Not all collisions are the same, babe. You got: Elastic Collisions – Objects bounce off each other, energy is conserved. Inelastic Collisions – Objects stick together, some energy is lost. Elastic: Gretchen’s Fetch Fantasy Gretchen Wieners keeps pushing “fetch,” and Regina rejects it immediately. That’s like an elastic collision—momentum stays the same, but energy is transferred right back to Gretchen in the form of humiliation. Inelastic: Cady and Aaron’s Awkward Union Cady (a moving object) collides with Aaron Samuels (stationary object). They stick together as one unit. That’s an inelastic collision—some of that kinetic energy is lost, maybe in the form of awkward pauses and weird flirting. Test Tip: Elastic = Bounce off, no energy lost. (Think: Gretchen keeps trying.) Inelastic = Stick together, energy lost. (Think: Cady and Aaron, cringey but endgame.) Center of Mass: The Plastics’ Power Structure Every system has a center of mass, the point where all mass is balanced. In a group like The Plastics, that center is Regina George. If Regina moves, the whole group shifts with her. When she gets hit by the bus (aka removed from the system), the center of mass shifts to Cady. In physics, center of mass determines stability. If it shifts too suddenly, the system (or friend group) collapses. Final Takeaways, Because We’re Hot and Smart 🔥 Momentum is mass times velocity. Regina has the most momentum, duh. 🔥 Impulse is change in momentum. Burn Book = Maximum impulse. 🔥 Momentum is always conserved. Even when cafeteria chaos breaks out. 🔥 Collisions can be elastic or inelastic. Fetch = Elastic. Cady + Aaron = Inelastic. 🔥 Center of mass = balance point. Regina’s downfall shifts everything. Final Words Before Your Test Babe, momentum isn’t just physics—it’s power, influence, and control. Whether you’re calculating how fast a bus needs to hit Regina (dark, but educational) or figuring out how momentum transfers in a car crash, you got this. Now go ace that test and make momentum your bitch. [Outro Music: "You Can’t Sit With Us" Remix]