Final answer:
The concept of impulse explains how padding reduces forces in collisions, such as those experienced with padded surfaces, boxing gloves, or sports equipment like tennis rackets. Padding extends the time over which a force is applied, decreasing its impact. By extending the distance and time of impact, padding reduces the effect of force, as exemplified in carpeting versus tile flooring and sports equipment design.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question about placing pads on a victim seems to be misplaced or perhaps a typo, as the provided information relates to the concept of impulse in physics, particularly how padding affects forces during a collision, jumping on a trampoline, and the 'sweet spot' in tennis rackets. The concept of impulse in physics is integral to understanding how padding reduces the forces in a collision. Impulse is defined as the change in momentum of an object when it is subjected to a force over a period of time. When a force is applied over a longer period, the impact is lessened, which is exactly how padding works.
Padding acts by increasing the time over which the collision occurs, thus reducing the force of the impact. For example, a carpeted floor in a day care center provides a softer surface compared to tile, which decreases the force on a child's body if they fall, due to the longer time taken to stop the fall. Similarly, boxing gloves have padding that increases the distance and thus, the time over which the boxer's punch is brought to rest when hitting an opponent, thereby reducing the force of the punch compared to a bare-knuckled punch.
In terms of the specified calculations, we're looking at how the extension of compression distance impacts the force exerted. For a trampoline, landing on your back allows a greater surface area to be in contact with the trampoline, therefore increasing the time and reducing the force, which can lead to reaching greater heights as the trampoline can exert more force over a longer time when pushing you upwards. The 'sweet spot' on a tennis racket is an area where vibration is minimized upon impact, therefore transmitting less force to the player's arm