A 60-kg front seat passenger is moving in a car initially with a speed of 18.4 m/s is brought to rest by an airbag in 0.6 sec.
(a) What is the impulse acting on the passenger?
(b) What is the average force acting on the passenger in this process?
a.) impulse= 60kg x (18.4-0)= 1104 kg/s
B.) avg force= impulse/time
1104/0.6= 1840 N
To solve these questions, we need to use the concepts of impulse and average force.
(a) The impulse acting on an object is calculated by multiplying the force applied to the object by the time interval during which the force acts. Mathematically, impulse can be represented as:
Impulse = Force × Time
In this case, the passenger is brought to rest by an airbag. Since the passenger is the only external force acting on them, the impulse acting on the passenger can be calculated by:
Impulse = Change in momentum of the passenger
The initial momentum of the passenger can be calculated using the equation:
Momentum = Mass × Velocity
Given that the mass of the passenger is 60 kg and the initial speed of the car is 18.4 m/s, the initial momentum of the passenger is:
Initial Momentum = 60 kg × 18.4 m/s
To calculate the final momentum of the passenger, we consider that their final velocity is 0 m/s (since they are brought to rest). The final momentum of the passenger is then:
Final Momentum = 60 kg × 0 m/s
The change in momentum is given by the difference between the final and initial momentum:
Change in Momentum = Final Momentum - Initial Momentum
Substituting the values, the change in momentum gives us the impulse acting on the passenger.
(b) The average force acting on an object can be calculated using the equation:
Average Force = Impulse / Time
We already know the impulse acting on the passenger from part (a), and we are given the time interval during which it acts (0.6 sec). Substituting the values into the equation, we can find the average force acting on the passenger.
I hope this helps in solving the problem and understanding how to calculate the impulse and average force in this scenario.