Question

3.1: bumper car collisions - what happens during a crash?
quick reminder:
when two bumper cars crash at an amusement park:

• both cars experience a force from the collision.
• the forces are equal in strength, but they are in opposite directions.
• if one bumper car is heavier than the other, the lighter cars motion will change more.

scenario:
at dorney park, two bumper cars collide:

• car a has one adult inside (heavier).
• car b has a small kid inside (lighter).

answer the questions below using 2 - 3 sentences each:

1. when the bumper cars collide, do both cars experience a force? explain

Explanation:

According to Newton's third - law of motion, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. When two bumper cars collide, the action of one car on the other causes a reaction force on the first car. So both cars experience a force.

Answer:

Yes, both cars experience a force. This is because of Newton's third - law of motion which states that when one car exerts a force on the other during the collision, the second car exerts an equal and opposite force back on the first car.