4.12 Momentum (Part 2)

Question 1

What is the equation needed to find the force applied to an object with its change in momentum and time?

Answer 1

Change in momentum/time

Question 2

What happens to people inside a car during a car crash and how can we reduce this? Use ideas about momentum

Answer 2

As the momentum of the car is going to decrease to 0 almost instantly the people will experience a huge force and possible injuries such as head trauma. To reduce this chance we need to spread the change in momentum over a longer period of time. Cars have to be built by a load of safety features such as air bags, a crumple zone and seat belts.

Question 3

Where are crumple zones found?

Answer 3

On the front and back of a car

Question 4

What do crumple zones do?

Answer 4

Crumple zones absorb the impact and increase the time at which the momentum of the car will reach zero. This means the force felt by the people in the car will be less.