1. What is Force of Impact in a Car Crash?

Definition: This calculator determines the force experienced during a car crash based on the vehicle's mass, change in velocity, and duration of impact.

Purpose: It helps understand crash dynamics, safety engineering, and the physics of collisions.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses Newton's Second Law of Motion:

Where:

• \( F \) — Force (Newtons)
• \( m \) — Mass of the vehicle (kg)
• \( \Delta v \) — Change in velocity (m/s)
• \( \Delta t \) — Duration of impact (seconds)

Explanation: The force is directly proportional to the mass and velocity change, and inversely proportional to the impact duration.

3. Importance of Impact Force Calculation

Details: Understanding impact forces helps in vehicle safety design, seatbelt effectiveness, and airbag deployment systems.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the vehicle mass in kg, velocity change in m/s (typically the speed before impact), and impact duration in seconds. All values must be > 0.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: How does impact duration affect the force?
A: Longer impact durations (like with crumple zones) reduce peak force by spreading it over more time.

Q2: What's a typical impact duration in a crash?
A: Most car crashes have impact durations between 0.1-0.2 seconds depending on vehicle design.

Q3: Why is this calculation important for safety?
A: It helps engineers design safety systems that keep forces on passengers below injury thresholds.

Q4: How does this relate to car safety features?
A: Crumple zones, airbags, and seatbelts all work to either increase Δt or reduce Δv to decrease F.

Q5: What's the difference between force and impulse?
A: Force is instantaneous, while impulse (F×Δt) is force over time - both are important in crash analysis.