Calculate Crumple Zone Rigidty?

  • Thread starter Thread starter AJ22
  • Start date Start date
Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
3 replies · 1K views
AJ22
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Homework Statement
Given the change in kinetic energy and distance, find the constant force needed in the crumple zone to stop the vehicle.
Relevant Equations
Work Energy Theorem: W = ΔEk
W = FcosxΔd
The vehicle comes to a stop after the collision so my kinetic energy is equal to (2000kg)(22m/s)2 / 2.
(Ekfinal -Ekinital)
I used the equation FcosxΔd = ΔEk. Knowing that the kinetic energy is -484000J and the length of the crumple zone is 0.70m, I can substitute those values into the equation.
Fcosx(0.70) = -484000.
My question is what would be the angle in the equation of W = FcosxΔd. During a collision the force from a wall acts in the opposite direction from the force of the crumple zone? So the angle is cos180 degrees = -1. Is this right?
So the constant force would then be F = -484000/-0.70 = 691Kn?
That means this number is also the crumple zone rigidity.
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
Is that how crumple zone rigidity is calculated??