If a Mack truck and a motorcycle have a head-on collision, upon which vehicle is the impact force greater? Which vehicle undergoes the greater change in its motion? Defend your answers.
When a Mack truck and a motorcycle collide head-on, the impact force experienced by each vehicle depends on their masses and the speed at which they collide. The force of impact is given by Newton's second law, which states that force is equal to mass multiplied by acceleration (F = ma).
Assuming the Mack truck has a significantly larger mass than the motorcycle, it will experience a greater impact force. This is because force is directly proportional to mass. The larger mass of the truck results in a larger force of impact compared to the motorcycle.
In terms of the change in motion, it is important to consider both the magnitude and direction of the change. Change in motion is quantified by the impulse-momentum theorem, which states that the change in momentum of an object is equal to the force applied to it multiplied by the time it takes for that force to act (Δp = FΔt).
In a head-on collision, the change in motion for both vehicles is significant. However, the motorcycle usually undergoes a greater change in its motion compared to the truck. This is because the smaller mass of the motorcycle means it will experience a larger acceleration when the same magnitude of force is applied as compared to the larger mass of the truck.
To sum up, the impact force is greater on the Mack truck due to its larger mass, while the motorcycle undergoes a greater change in its motion due to its smaller mass and therefore larger acceleration when experiencing the same magnitude of force.