giokrutoi said:what do you mean in better
Of the 2 cars, each exerts a lesser force since their collision velocity is less. Whereas if the car crashed into the wall, the wall would exert a stronger reaction force on the car because of the increased velocity at the point of impact? Is this true?RUber said:If there are two cars, each one will be subjected to the other's opposing force. If there is one car, and you assume the wall is strong enough to fully stop the car, it will be subjected to the larger resisting force of the wall.
Let's say that ##F_1## is generated by car 1 and ##F_2## is generated by car 2, then ##F_1= -F_2## for a perfect head-on crash ending in full stop.
Let's say that ##F_3## is generated by the fast (100km/hr) car 3 and ##F_4## is generated by the wall, then ##F_3= -F_4## for a car-on-wall crash ending in full stop.
RUber said:That's about right. I would assume that in all cases, it takes the same time for the cars to come to a stop. Thus, acceleration would be proportional to velocity.
More velocity brought down to zero velocity over the same time results in more force.
There are finer points when you deal with impulses and collisions, but as it refers to F=ma, this is the most fundamental explanation.
More velocity, same mass, same time => more force.
Newton's Third Law of Motion states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. This means that when one object exerts a force on another object, the second object will exert an equal force in the opposite direction on the first object.
In a car crash, the force of the impact is equal and opposite for both vehicles involved. This means that the car that is hit will exert the same amount of force on the other car as the other car exerts on it. This is why both cars can sustain damage in a car crash.
One example is when two cars collide head-on. The force of the impact on both cars is equal and opposite, causing both cars to come to a stop. Another example is when a car crashes into a wall. The car exerts a force on the wall, and the wall exerts an equal and opposite force on the car, causing it to come to a stop.
Understanding Newton's Third Law can help drivers to anticipate the equal and opposite force that will occur in a car crash. This can encourage drivers to be more cautious on the road and to maintain a safe distance from other vehicles, reducing the chances of a car crash.
While Newton's Third Law applies to most car crashes, there are some exceptions. For example, if one car is significantly larger or heavier than the other, the force of the impact may not be equal and opposite. Additionally, if one car is stationary and the other is in motion, the force of the impact may not be equal and opposite due to the difference in momentum.