Impulase base for force base p[hysic sare teh tow diffrent metod to make physis simulation.
Impulse was proposed by Brians Mirtich
http://www.kuffner.org/james/software/dynamics/mirtich/index.html and force base was propose by Davif Baraff
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~baraff/papers/sig96.pdf
Impulse base very eassy to implement and is the methed used by Physx and Havok, it is also the method used by open source since they are all biproduct of Havov and PhyiX written by ex employee that when they leave the company use and older copy and re write as open source.
the problem with open source is the teh are incorrect since they violate a physics principle that state that and impulse can only be appliyed at and infinitesimal small period of time.
They apply impulse an dintegrate then as if tehey where forces, theyfor tehy are unstable and thsi si whay you see hundere of paore teh try to sov eteh problems.
Force base implementation are base on rigurose law of physics call the method of the virtual work, they are harder to solve but the are more stable and have the ability that the same solver solve all know rigid body problems.