Cry of Jelicuon
3 / 7
Interactive Explore

Performer Momentum & Safe Landing Explorer

Festival context —Set a performer's mass and running speed in the war scene. Calculate their momentum, then adjust the stopping time to see how it affects the stopping force on their body during a dramatic fall.

S9FE-IIIb-23Grade 9 · Quarter 3Explain Momentum and Impulse

Performer Momentum & Safe Landing Explorer

Interactive Simulator
"Set a performer's mass and running speed in the war scene. Calculate their momentum, then adjust the stopping time to see how it affects the stopping force on their body during a dramatic fall."

War Scene · Momentum Stage

MOMENTUM READOUTp = m × v= 60×4 = 240kg·m/sF = p / Δt= 240/0.5 = 480Nd = ½v·Δt= 1.00 m

Shorter stop time → bigger stopping force. Watch the ember arrow.

Anim speed1×

Adjust Variables

Performer mass (kg)60 kg
40100
Running speed (m/s)4 m/s
18
Stopping time (s)0.5 s
0.12

Physics ReadoutsLIVE

Momentum240.0 kg·m/s
Stopping Force480.0 N
momentum = mass * velocity; impulse = momentum; force = impulse / stopTime

Community Hub — Cultural Discussion

Reflect & Connect

In the performance, a performer dramatically 'falls' from a clash. The choreographer says to 'take longer to fall' for safety. How does this relate to impulse and momentum? Why does falling slowly reduce injury? Design a safe yet dramatic fall sequence.

Discuss with your class or write your response in your science journal.

Performance Task

Compare Short vs. Long Stopping Times

1Do

Walk briskly across a 5-meter space, then stop abruptly with stiff legs (rigid stop). Repeat, but this time bend your knees and let your body sink slowly to a crouch over 2–3 seconds as you stop. Have a partner observe and time each stop. Do this on a safe, padded surface.

2Measure

Using your phone stopwatch, record the stopping time for each method (rigid stop vs. controlled crouch). Estimate your walking speed (5 m ÷ your walking time). Calculate your momentum p = mv using your body mass. Then compute the stopping force F = p ÷ Δt for both methods.

3Reflect

Which stop required more force on your joints? How does this demonstrate J = FΔt = Δp (S9FE-IIIb-23)? In the Cry of Jelicuon war scene, the choreographer's instruction to 'fall slowly' is directly applying this impulse-momentum principle — longer time = less peak force on the body, preventing injury while maintaining drama.

Record your measurements and reflections in your science journal.

Module Overview

Up Next

Video

Beat Counts and Direction Changes: Impulse in Action