How bad can it be?

Learning Objective: To use a software call Logger Pro to determine the impact force

during a collision.

Presentation at the Math and Science Summer Technology Institute

Summer 2009 – Omaha Site

Mid America Transportation Center

Nebraska Engineering

Learning Objectives:

• To use a software call Logger Pro to determine the impact force during a collision.

• To introduce the biomechanical limits the body can withstand in a collision

• To introduce the engineering in car and roadside designs that reduce the probability of a fatal impact

What is the science behind the toy?

Inertia – the resistance to change in motion of an object

• The center object will appear and disappear if you move the toy vertically quickly because it has more mass than the outer shell of the toy.

How do they design a car to overcome the passengers inertia?

How does a force impact inertia?

A force is any push or pull on an object.

When a force is applied to an object, it can cause an object to accelerate.

This is Newton’s Second Law.

How are cars or roadsides designed to lesson the impact forces?

How to use Logger Pro to determine a cars velocity

Open logger proClick on Insert

Click on MovieChoose “” Movie from the desktopPlay the movie

Set the scale using the yellow ruler.Set the origin using the X/Y button with dot.Use the point plotter to track the location of the vehicle

before and after the impact.Change the position vs time graph to a velocity vs time

graph by clicking on the y axis labels.Use the slope finder “m” button to determine the slope of

the velocity vs time graph, or the acceleration of the object.

So how much can we take?

Applied force (g’s) Biomechanical Damage

10 Black out

30-35 Ribs Broken

70-75 Blunt Force Truama

88 Cracked Skull

120 Head Seperation

These values taken from: (Euro NCAP)ASSESSMENT PROTOCOL AND BIOMECHANICAL LIMITS

So where do we go from here?

• Shopping for a safer car.

• Improving Highway Safety

Post Activity Questions

1. In you own words describe what is meant by inertia.2. When riding in moving car, what safety device(s) are

designed to overcome inertia?3. Describe how we determined the car’s momentum in

the video clip.4. What was the force called that caused a change in

momentum?5. If your in a car travelling at 26 m/s (60 mph) and you

weigh 100 kilograms, how much momentum do you have?

6. If your airbag slows you down in .1s,what force is applied to your body? How many “g’s” is this?

How bad can it be?

Learning Objective: To use a software call Logger Pro to determine the impact force

during a collision.

Presentation at the Math and Science Summer Technology Institute

Summer 2009 – Omaha Site

Mid America Transportation Center

Nebraska Engineering