Question

A person can survive a feet-first impact at a speed of about 12 m/s (27 mi/h) on concrete, 15 m/s (34 mi/h) on soil, and 34 m/s (76 mi/h) on water. What is the reason for the different values for different surfaces

Answer 1

Different surfaces have different impact force during collision which depends on the time it takes the person to come to rest after collision.

Step-by-step explanation:

Given;

speed on concrete = 12 m/s (27 mi/h)

speed on soil = 15 m/s (34 mi/h)

speed on water = 34 m/s (76 mi/h)

The impact force on this person during collision is rate of change of momentum;

`F = (\delta P)/(\delta t)`

During collision, the force exerted on this person depends on how long the collision lasts; that is, how long it takes for this person to come to rest after collision with each of the surfaces.

The longer the time of collision, the smaller the force exerted by each.

It takes shorter time for the person to come to rest on concrete surface than on soil surface, also it takes shorter time for the person to come to rest on soil surface than on water surface.

As a result of the reason above, the force exerted on the person during collision by the concrete surface is greater than that of soil surface which is greater than that of water surface.