• Question: Ok, say if theres too examples example1: car 1 is going at 5mph, and crashes into the back car 2, which is going 0mph example 2: the same car1 is going 75 mph, and it crashes into the back od the same car2, which is going 70 mph. If in example 2 car 2 did not veer of the road, in which example would more damage occur?

    Asked by sammieblues to David, Luna, Mark, Melanie, Probash on 24 Mar 2011 in Categories: .
    • Photo: David Pyle

      David Pyle answered on 24 Mar 2011:

      If we assume that the amount of damage caused in the accident depends on the amount of energy released in the collision, and we also assume that the cars are all of the same mass, then, we can calculate the kinetic energy released in the crash (KE = (1/2)*(m)*(v)^2).

      In crash 1, the energy release is proportional to 5*5 – 0 = 25
      In crash 2, the energy release is proportional to 75*75 – 70*70 = 725

      So a lot more damage would occur in the high speed crash.

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