Question

Suppose you want to design an air bag system that can protect the driver at a speed 100 km/h (60 mph) if the car hits a brick wall.
Estimate how fast the air bag must inflate to effectively protect the driver. How does the use of a seat belt help the driver?

Answer 1

When solving question that contains equations and the use mathematical computations, It is always ideal to list the parameters given.

Now, given that:

• the speed of the car which is the initial velocity (u) = 100 km/h before it hits the wall.
• after hitting the wall, the final velocity will be (v) = 0 km/h

Assumptions:

• Suppose we make an assumption that the distance travelled during the collision of the car with the brick wall (S) = 1 m
• That the car's acceleration is also constant.

∴

For a motion under constant acceleration, we can apply the kinematic equation:

$\mathsf{v^2 = u^2 + 2as}$

where;

v = final velocity

u = initial velocity

a = acceleration

s = distance

From the above equation, making acceleration (a) the subject of the formula:

$\mathsf{v^2 - u^2 =2as }$

$\mathsf{a = \dfrac{v^2 - u^2 }{2s}}$

The initial velocity (u) is given in km/h, and we need to convert it to m/s as it has an effect on the unit of the acceleration.

since 1 km/h = 0.2778 m/s

100 km/h = 27.78 m/s

$\mathsf{a = \dfrac{(0)^2 - (27.78)^2 }{2(1)}}$

$\mathsf{a = \dfrac{- 771.7284 }{2}}$

a = - 385.86 m/s²

Similarly, from the kinematic equation of motion, the formula showing the relation between time, acceleration and velocity is;

v = u + at

where;

v = 0

-u = at

$\mathsf{t = \dfrac{-u}{a}}$

$\mathsf{t = \dfrac{-27.78}{-385.86}}$

t = 0.07 seconds

An airbag is designed in such a way as to prevent the driver from hitting on the steering wheel or other hard substance that could damage the part of the body. The use of the seat belt is to keep the driver in shape and in a balanced position against the expansion that occurred by the airbag during the collision on the brick wall.

Thus, we can conclude that the airbag must be inflated at 0.07 seconds faster before the collision to effectively protect the driver.

Learn more about the kinematic equation here:

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