In a head-on automobile collision, a person's momentum could be reduced from 2000 kg m/s to zero in just 0.1 s. If this occurs, the average force exerted to stop the person is
A) 20,000 N.
B) 2,000 N.
C) 200 N.
D) This can't be answered without knowing the person's mass.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

We can use the formula for average force:

average force = (change in momentum) / time

Plugging in the given values, we get:

average force = (2000 kg m/s - 0) / 0.1 s

average force = 20,000 N

In a Head-On Automobile Collision, a Person's Momentum Could Be