Directions: Use the information provided and your knowledge of Physical Science to answer the following questions. Show all work where necessary.
Directions: Use the information provided and your knowledge of Physical Science to answer the following questions. Show all work where necessary.
Diagram 1.
Source: https://redemptiontactical.com/products/upgraded-helmet-padding
When a rider falls from a scooter, their head may collide with the ground. During the collision, the head pushes on the ground and the ground pushes back on the head. These forces act at the same time and can cause injury. Engineers design helmet padding to reduce injury during collisions by changing how the forces act during impact.
When two objects collide, they exert forces on each other. According to Newton’s Third Law of Motion, for every action force, there is an equal and opposite reaction force. This means that when a rider’s head hits the ground, the head pushes on the ground and the ground pushes back on the head with an equal force in the opposite direction.
Even though the forces are equal, the outcome of the collision can be changed by design. Injury risk depends not only on how strong the forces are, but also on how quickly the collision happens. If the collision happens very quickly, the forces act over a short time and the change in motion is sudden. This can cause injury.
Helmet padding is designed to increase the time of collision. When padding compresses, it allows the head to slow down over a longer period of time. Even though the head and the padding still exert equal and opposite forces on each other, spreading the collision over more time reduces the peak force acting on the head.
Engineers test helmet designs by measuring how much the padding compresses, how long the collision lasts, and how the head’s speed changes during impact. By comparing different padding materials or thicknesses, engineers can decide which design best reduces injury risk.
Using Newton’s Third Law helps engineers understand that forces during a collision always come in pairs. A safer helmet design does not remove the force, but changes how that force is applied during the collision.
Table 1.
Trial | Collision Time (ms) | Peak Force on Head (N) |
|---|---|---|
Trial 1 | 5 | 4500 |
Trial 2 | 6 | 4200 |
Trial 3 | 5 | 4600 |
Trial 4 | 6 | 4300 |
Graph of Information - Figure 1.
Table 2.
Trial | Collision Time (ms) | Peak Force on Head (N) |
|---|---|---|
Trial 1 | 15 | 1800 |
Trial 2 | 16 | 1700 |
Trial 3 | 14 | 1900 |
Trial 4 | 15 | 1750 |
Graph of Information - Figure 2.
Which statement best describes the forces acting during a scooter crash, according to Newton’s Third Law?
Using the reading, explain why injury risk depends not only on the size of the force, but also on how long the collision lasts.
Using Table 1 and Table 2, describe how adding helmet padding changes both collision time and peak force on the head.
Based on Figure 1 and Figure 2, which change best explains how helmet padding reduces injury?
How does the data show that forces still come in pairs during the collision, even when padding is used?
How can Newton’s Third Law be used to explain how helmet padding reduces injury during a scooter crash, and how does the design change affect collision forces?
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