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Amelina Yoo
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How is conservation of momentum present in an airbag?
I think I know what you are getting at.Amelina Yoo said:How is conservation of momentum present in an airbag?
In addition to extending the impulse in time, the airbag extends it in space, thus reducing the pressure at any specific point (e.g. nose on steering wheel) by increasing it at all the other points.sophiecentaur said:I think I know what you are getting at.
When your body is brought to a halt in an accident, you need to get rid of all that momentum. The Impulse (change of momentum) needed is Force times the Time the force acts. An airbag extends the time considerably, compared with hitting the windscreen or even hitting the seatbelt. The force on your body is reduced proportionally so you may step out of the car, unhurt when the other passenger could have to be scraped off the windscreen. You both 'had' the same amount of initial momentum and end up with none.
Conservation of momentum is a fundamental law of physics which states that the total momentum of a closed system remains constant over time. This means that in the absence of external forces, the total momentum of a system before and after a collision will be the same.
An airbag uses conservation of momentum in a collision by extending outward and absorbing the momentum of the person's body, reducing the force of impact on the person's body. This is achieved by the airbag's inflation with gas, which creates a cushioning effect that slows down the person's body and reduces the force of the collision.
Conservation of momentum is important in airbag design because it helps to protect the person's body from the force of impact during a collision. By utilizing this law of physics, airbags are able to reduce the risk of serious injuries or death in car accidents.
Yes, there is a limit to how much momentum an airbag can absorb. The efficiency of an airbag depends on factors such as the speed of the collision and the size and design of the airbag. If the momentum of the person's body is too great, the airbag may not be able to fully absorb it, resulting in a higher risk of injury.
The conservation of momentum in airbags plays a crucial role in car safety. By reducing the force of impact on the person's body, airbags help to prevent serious injuries or death in car accidents. This has made airbags a standard safety feature in modern cars and has greatly improved overall car safety.