Question

What does impulse do to an object? How does a large impulse affect an object differently Than a small one?

Use what you said above to answer: What does the presence of an airbag do to a person's head during an automobile collision? Answer in terms of impulse, impact, force, and time using complete sentences.

So finally in terms of impulse and momentum, why do airbags make automobiles safer?

Answer 1

Solution) Impulse is the force acting on an object for a short interval of time .

Impulse = F.t

Impulse is also given as change in momentum .

Impulse = m(v2 - v1)

F.t = m(v2 - v1)

So impulse either speeds up or slows down an object .

If large force acts for a short interval of time or a small force acts for a large interval of time , then impulse will be same .

Large impulse means large force acting on an object for a long time . So large impulse means greater impact on the object and it is severe compared to smaller impulse .

Air bags are designed in automobiles so as to reduce accident deaths . Air bags are designed based on impulse and momentum principles .

If a driver gets into accident , their momentum carrier carries him forward to steering wheel so by putting an airbag a smaller force is exerted over large period of time to change momentum of the driver to come to rest (stop).

This is how airbags make automobiles safer.