  A simple method is presented to evaluate the effects of short-range
correlations on the momentum distribution of nucleons in nuclear matter within
the framework of the Green's function approach. The method provides a very
efficient representation of the single-particle Green's function for a
correlated system. The reliability of this method is established by comparing
its results to those obtained in more elaborate calculations. The sensitivity
of the momentum distribution on the nucleon-nucleon interaction and the nuclear
density is studied. The momentum distributions of nucleons in finite nuclei are
derived from those in nuclear matter using a local-density approximation. These
results are compared to those obtained directly for light nuclei like $^{16}O$.
