Question

A garbage truck and a minivan are moving at the same velocity.

Which automobile will have greater momentum and why? Explain your response using Newton’s second law of motion specifically.


If the garbage truck and minivan in Part A get into an accident with each other, how can safety restraints in a car can save a life? Explain your response using one of Newton’s laws.


Which of Newton’s laws of motion act upon the vehicles at the point of impact? Explain your answer.

Answer 1

Part A

Newton's second law of motion states that the force applied to an object is directly proportional to the rate of change of momentum that is produced

Mathematically, we have;

F = m·v - m·u/Δt

Where;

m = The mass of the object

v = The final velocity of the object

u = The initial velocity of the object

Δt = The duration of motion of the object during change in velocity

Therefore, given that the mass, 'M', of the truck is larger than the mass, 'm', of the minivan, where the time of change in velocity Δt, and the initial and final velocities of both automobiles are the same such as in a sudden stop, the garbage ruck will exert more force than the minivan, and therefore, the garbage truck has a greater initial momentum before the automobiles are brought to a stop

Part B;

According to Newton's first law of motion, we have;

The use of a seat belt (and airbag for front seated passengers) will prevent dashboard or windscreen for the front passengers or the front seat for the passengers in the back, from being the item that stops the continued forward motion of the passengers in the car, which can lead to injury

Part C; The Newton's law of motion that act on a body at the point of impact is Newton's third law of motion, which states that the action and reaction are equal and opposite

Therefore, the action of the garbage truck on the minivan upon impact is equal to the reaction of the minivan to the force the garbage truck exerts on the minivan

Step-by-step explanation: