A large truck and a car, both moving with a velocity of magnitude v, have a head- on collision and both of them come to a halt after that. If the collision lasts for 1 s:
(a) Which vehicle experiences the greater force of impact?
(b) Which vehicle experiences the greater change in momentum?
(c) Which vehicle experiences the greater acceleration?
(d) Why is the car likely to suffer more damage than the truck?
Answers
(a) During head on collision forces applied by truck and car are action-reaction forces. Hence both vehicles experience same (equal) force of impact.
(b) Here initial velocity of both car and truck is same equal to v and final velocity of both is zero. But mass of truck is much more than that of car, hence change in momentum of truck is more than change in momentum of car.
(c) For same force of impact, the acceleration of car will have greater magnitude because its mass is less.
(d) Car suffers more damage than the truck, as acceleration of car is more, its velocity falls to zero in a shorter time and consequently, its momentum changes in a shorter time.
Answer:
(a) During head on collision forces applied by truck and car are action-reaction forces. Hence both vehicles experience same (equal) force of impact.
(b) Here initial velocity of both car and truck is same equal to v and final velocity of both is zero. But mass of truck is much more than that of car, hence change in momentum of truck is more than change in momentum of car.
(c) For same force of impact, the acceleration of car will have greater magnitude because its mass is less.
(d) Car suffers more damage than the truck, as acceleration of car is more, its velocity falls to zero in a shorter time and consequently, its momentum changes in a shorter time.
Explanation: