Calculating Magnitude and Duration of Deceleration in Fall from Bed

  • Thread starter Thread starter nbroyle1
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Magnitude
Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the magnitude and duration of deceleration for a child falling from a bed 0.40 m high onto different surfaces. For a hardwood floor, the stopping distance is 2.0 mm, while for a carpeted floor, it is 1.1 cm. The calculated deceleration magnitude exceeds 1000 m/s² for the hardwood floor, indicating a high risk of injury, while the carpeted floor's deceleration is lower, suggesting a reduced risk. The calculations confirm that the type of flooring significantly impacts the potential for traumatic brain injury.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic physics concepts, particularly kinematics.
  • Familiarity with the equations of motion, specifically those involving acceleration and deceleration.
  • Knowledge of traumatic brain injury thresholds related to acceleration.
  • Ability to perform unit conversions, such as from millimeters to centimeters.
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the equations of motion in physics, particularly those related to acceleration and deceleration.
  • Research the effects of different surfaces on impact forces and injury risk.
  • Examine case studies on traumatic brain injuries related to falls.
  • Learn about safety measures to prevent falls in children, including bed height considerations.
USEFUL FOR

Parents, pediatric healthcare professionals, safety engineers, and anyone involved in child safety and injury prevention will benefit from this discussion.

nbroyle1
Messages
43
Reaction score
0
Traumatic brain injury such as concussion results when the head undergoes a very large acceleration. Generally, an acceleration less than 800 m/s2 lasting for any length of time will not cause injury, whereas an acceleration greater than 1000 m/s2 lasting for at least 1 ms will cause injury. Suppose a small child rolls off a bed that is 0.40 m above the floor. If the floor is hardwood, the child's head is brought to rest in approximately 2.0 mm. If the floor is carpeted, this stopping distance is increased to about 1.1 cm. Calculate the magnitude and duration of the deceleration in both cases, to determine the risk of injury. Assume the child remains horizontal during the fall to the floor. Note that a more complicated fall could result in a head velocity greater or less than the speed you calculate.

hardwood floor magnitude:
hardwood floor duration:
carpeted floor magnitude:
carpeted floor duration:

Any idea of what equation would be helpful for finding the magnitude and duration of the floor?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
nevermind I got it
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
11K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
3K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
3K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
3K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
6K
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
3K
  • · Replies 15 ·
Replies
15
Views
4K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
5K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
5K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
7K