Notes on the video
Car Crashes and Physics: Detailed Notes
Introduction
● Car crashes are excellent examples of how physics principles apply to real-world
events.
● The outcomes of collisions depend on Newton’s Laws of Motion, momentum,
impulse, and deceleration.
● Modern vehicle safety features like seatbelts, airbags, and crumple zones are
designed using these principles to reduce injury and fatalities.
1. Inertia (Newton's First Law of Motion)
● Definition: The tendency of an object to resist changes to its state of motion.
○ Objects at rest stay at rest; objects in motion continue in motion unless
acted upon by an external force.
● Examples in Car Crashes:
○ If a car suddenly stops, passengers continue moving forward due to their
inertia unless restrained.
○ A dummy on the back of a moving truck falls off when the truck stops
suddenly because it wants to maintain its motion.
● Safety Feature: Seatbelts
○ Restrain passengers and counteract the effects of inertia by holding them
in place during a collision.
○ Without seatbelts, passengers would continue moving forward, potentially
colliding with the dashboard or windshield.
2. Newton’s Second Law of Motion (F = ma)
● Formula: F=ma, where:
○ F is the net force applied to an object,
○ m is the object’s mass,
○ a is the object’s acceleration (or deceleration in crashes).
● In a crash, the force experienced by the occupants depends on:
○ The mass of the object (car and passengers).
○ The acceleration (rate at which the car slows down or changes velocity).
● Example: A heavier vehicle hitting a barrier will generate more force compared to
a lighter vehicle at the same deceleration rate.
3. Momentum and Impulse
Momentum
● Definition: The quantity of motion of an object, calculated as p=mvp = mvp=mv,
where:
○ p is momentum,
○ m is mass,
○ v is velocity.
● Momentum is often described as “inertia in motion.” Larger objects or
faster-moving objects have more momentum.
● Example:
○ A slow-moving truck can have the same momentum as a fast-moving car
if the product of their mass and velocity is the same.
Impulse
● Definition: Change in momentum caused by a force applied over time, expressed
as F*t.
● Impulse-Momentum Theorem: Impulse equals the change in momentum (Δp =
F*t).
● Key Concept: By increasing the time over which a force is applied, the force can
be reduced.
● Example:
○ An egg thrown at a wall breaks due to a sudden, large force. An egg
thrown at a flexible sheet doesn’t break because the stopping time is
extended, reducing the force.
4. Vehicle Safety and Impulse
● Modern vehicles are designed to extend the stopping time during crashes,
reducing the force experienced by passengers.
● Crumple Zones:
○ Areas at the front and rear of a vehicle are designed to deform during a
crash, absorbing energy and increasing impact time.
○ Example: A rigid car front vs. a crumpling car front:
■ Rigid front: Short stopping time → large force → more severe
injuries.
■ Crumpling front: Longer stopping time → smaller force → reduced
injuries.
● Airbags:
○ Deploy in milliseconds during a crash to cushion passengers and slow
their deceleration.
○ Prevent direct contact with hard surfaces like the steering wheel or
dashboard.
5. Deceleration and “g-forces”
● Deceleration: The rate at which an object slows down, measured in g’s
(multiples of gravitational acceleration, 1g = 9.8 m/s^2).
● Crash Example:
○ A car hitting a rigid barrier with:
■ 1 foot of crumple: Deceleration of 30 g’s.
■ 2 feet of crumple: Deceleration of 15 g’s.
● Higher g-forces: Lead to more severe injuries as the body experiences greater
forces during impact.
6. Collision Safety Mechanisms
1. Crumple Zones:
○ Absorb energy by deforming and extending impact time.
○ Reduce forces transmitted to passengers.
2. Airbags:
○ Reduce the force on passengers by slowing their deceleration.
○ Cover hard surfaces to prevent direct impact injuries.
3. Crash Cushions:
○ Found on highways (e.g., around barriers) to absorb collision energy and
reduce vehicle damage.
4. Breakaway Utility Poles:
○ Designed to collapse when struck by a vehicle, reducing the force of the
collision.
7. Two-vehicle collisions
● The dynamics of a two-vehicle collision can be analyzed using Newton’s laws:
○ The force experienced by each vehicle is equal and opposite (Newton’s
Third Law).
○ The damage depends on the vehicle’s mass, velocity, and crumple zones.
● Collisions were studied historically by the Royal Society in the 1660s.
Key Takeaways
1. Inertia: Seatbelts counteract inertia by holding passengers in place.
2. Momentum and Impulse: Increasing the time of impact reduces the force
experienced.
3. Deceleration and g-forces: Lower deceleration rates reduce injury severity.
4. Safety Features: Crumple zones, airbags, and other mechanisms protect
passengers by extending stopping time and absorbing energy.
Video Disscution Questions
1. Show mathematically why a 36,000 kg big rig truck traveling 2 mph (0.894
m/s) has the SAME MOMENTUM as a 1,800 kg sport utility vehicle traveling
40 mph (17.88 m/s).
p = m*v
For the big truck:
m = 36,000kg, v = 0.894m/s
p = 36,000*.0894 = 32,184kg*m/s
For the sport utility vehicle:
m = 1,800kg, v = 17.88m/s
p = 1,800*17.88 = 32,184kg*m/s
Since both vehicles have the same momentum, their momentum is equal despite the
difference in mass and velocity.
2. During the Egg-Throwing Demonstration, which egg experienced the
greater impulse, the egg that hit the wall or the bed sheet? (Be careful
here!)
Which egg experienced the greater force of impact?
The egg hitting the wall experienced the greater force of impact because the time
of impact was much shorter.
Which egg experienced the greater time of impact?
The egg hitting the bed sheet experienced a greater time of impact because the
bed sheet “gave way,” increasing the time over which the force was applied.
3. Explain how the fortunate race car drivers survived their high-speed
accidents.
Race car drivers survive high-speed crashes thanks to safety features like crumple
zones that slow deceleration, barriers that spread impact forces, and seatbelts and
harnesses that distribute forces across the body. Helmets and padding absorb shock,
reducing forces on the driver, while the car design minimizes the risk of ejection or
secondary impacts.
4. Describe other examples where momentum is reduced by applying a
smaller collision force over a longer impact time (or where things “give
way” during a collision to lessen the impact force)?
Momentum can be reduced by applying a smaller force over a longer time in situations
like airbags inflating during a crash, cushioned sports mats softening impacts, flexible
highway barriers deforming to absorb energy, trampolines spreading force as they
stretch, and helmet padding compressing to reduce impact forces.
5. Which would be more damaging to your car: having a head-on collision
with an identical car traveling at an identical speed or driving head-on into
the Vehicle Research Center’s 320,000-pound (145,455 kg) deformable
crash barrier? Explain.
A collision with an identical car at the same speed is more damaging than hitting a
deformable crash barrier. While cars share the collision force, the barrier is designed to
absorb energy, spread the impact force, and increase the time of impact, making it safer
for the car and passengers.
