Question

If you lose control of your vehicle and collide with a fixed object, such as a tree, at 60 m.p.h., the force of impact is the same as driving your vehicle off a

Answer 1

You can compare the velocity of the car, 60 mph, with the velocity that a mass would acquire when falls from certain height.

First, convert 60 mph to m/s:

60 miles/h * 1.60 km/mile * 1000 m/km * 1h/3600s = 26.67 m/s

Second, calculate from what height a body in free fall reachs 26.67 m/s velocity when hits the floor.

free fall => Vf^2 = 2g*H => H = Vf^2 / (2g)

H = (26.67m/s)^2 / (2*9.8 m/s) = 36.2 m

If you consider that the height between the floors of a building is approximately 3.6 m, you get 36.2 m / 3.6 m/floor = 10 floors.

Then, you conclude that the force of impact is the same as driving you vehicle off a 10 story building.