corkedbatdugout.com says in their physics section that velocity is a bigger factor than mass...is that true?

Answer 1

Depends...in momentum = P = mv, mass and velocity are both first order variables. Thus changing either one would change momentum by the same percentage.

But in kinetic energy = KE = 1/2 mv^2, mass is first order and velocity is second order. Thus doubling mass would double KE, for example, but doubling velocity would quadruple it.

You can check these out by taking a ratio such as KE/ke = (1/2 mV^2)/(1/2 mv^2); where ke and KE are two different levels of kinetic energy from a mass (m) traveling at v and V velocities. Thus, we find KE/ke = V^2/v^2 since the 1/2 and m cancel out. So that, KE = ke (V^2/v^2) and if we say V = 2v (we double the velocity v), we have KE = ke (4v^2/v^2) = ke 4. This shows that the kinetic energy ke is quadrupled (ke 4) when the velocity (v) is doubled (2v).

Try the P/p = mV/mv ratio for yourself to see that momentum changes linearly.

So the answer, again, it depends. What physics phenomenon are you addressing (i.e., momentum or energy)?

Answer 2

Yes.

In equations that deal with kinetic energy, they always have Mass x Velocity squared. So Velocity has twice the impact of Mass.