A 60-kg person is traveling in a car moving at 16 m/s, when the car hits a barrier. The person is not wearing a seat belt, but is stopped by an air bag in a time interval of 0.20 s. Determine the average force that the air bag exerts on the person?

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Answer 1 · 2016-10-06T07:55:34

$vec F=-4800" "N$

$"Negative sign means opposite direction."$

$vec F* Delta t:"impulse"$
$m*Delta vec v:"change of momentum"$

$vec F* Delta t=m* Delta vec v$

$vec F:"Force"$

$Delta t:"Time interval. "(0.20 s)$

$m:"mass of person. "(60 kg)$

$Delta v=(v_f-v_i)$

$v_f:"final velocity of person. "(v_f=0)$

$v_i:"initial velocity of person. "(v_i=16" "m/s"$

$vec F*0.2=60(0-16)$

$vec F*0.2=60*(-16)$

$vec F*0.2=-960$

$vec F=-960/(0.20)$

$vec F=-4800" "N$