Final answer:
Calculations based on the scenario indicate an extremely high force of 8064 N would be exerted on a 14 kg child in a head-on collision at 64 mi/h, which would be impossible to withstand by holding the child. It highlights the importance of properly securing a child in a car seat.
Step-by-step explanation:
Force in a Head-On Collision
During a head-on collision with a fixed object, like a brick wall, the deceleration is extremely rapid. Given a 64 mi/h (which is roughly 28.8 m/s) collision and a stopping time of 0.05 s, we can calculate the force experienced by a 14 kg child using Newton's second law of motion (F = ma). First, we convert the velocity to meters per second and then calculate the acceleration (or deceleration in this case) using the formula a = Δv / Δt, which gives us a = 28.8 m/s / 0.05 s. The result is a deceleration of 576 m/s².
Next, we apply the formula F = ma to find the force exerted on the child. With a mass m of 14 kg and the calculated deceleration a, the force would be F = 14 kg * 576 m/s². The force comes out to be 8064 N (newtons), which is a tremendous amount of force and far beyond what a person could hold onto during a crash.
It is essential to understand that in the forces involved in collisions are too great for a person to safely hold on to a child even with a seat belt on. A child must be secured in an appropriate car seat that is designed to safely distribute and absorb the forces of a crash. To rely on holding a child is both dangerous and unrealistic.