Newton's Second Law and car acceleration

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around Newton's Second Law and its application to a scenario involving a car's acceleration and the forces experienced during a collision. Participants are exploring the relationship between force, mass, and acceleration in the context of different speeds and the implications of momentum.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to understand if the force exerted by a car on impact varies with speed, questioning the application of F=ma in this context. Other participants introduce the concept of momentum and its relevance to the forces experienced during a collision.

Discussion Status

Participants are actively engaging with the concepts, with some providing insights into the distinction between the forces acting on the car and the forces experienced during impact. There is recognition that a deeper understanding of momentum is necessary for complete clarity.

Contextual Notes

The original poster expresses a desire for additional resources to enhance their conceptual understanding of Newton's laws, indicating a focus on learning and exploration rather than immediate resolution.

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I'm having a hard time understanding this.
If a car that has a constant acceleration hits me let's say at 10km/h then at 100km/h will it exert the same amount of force on me? F= ma mass and acceleration are constant. But this doesn't seem right, does it?

Do you guys know any good website or a book that has questions that will test my conceptual understanding of Newton's laws.
Thanks:-p
 
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If you're talking about hitting, you have to consider momentum, which does take into account the velocity of the car.
 
The force accelerating the car is not the same as the force you'd experience when it hit you. F=ma works for the car, but the force you feel is the change in your momentum delta-P, divided by the time it takes to change momentum, delta-t.

Consider the case of a car that isn't accelerating at all, just moving at constant speed. When it hits you, there's no accelerating force F=ma, but you'll still feel a force on impact.
 
ahh... ok. I guess I have to wait till we get to momentum to fully understand this. thanks
 

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