Re: Fwd: Audi A8 Achieves Highest Possible Safety Test Rating

[Orin Eman <orin@wolfenet.com>]

> An excerpt from the newswire post:

> > To collect this data, vehicles are crashed into a fixed barrier at 35 miles
> > per hour with instrumented dummies registering impact forces during the crash.
> > The force is equivalent to a head-on collision between two identical vehicles,
> > each moving at 35 mph.

> No, it will be equivalent to a head-on collision between two identical vehicles,
> each moving at 17.5 mph.

In terms of kinetic energy that has to be dissipated, the 35 mph figure
is correct...  A car travelling at 35mph, ending up at rest must
dissipate the same amount of energy regardless of what it crashes into.

Looking at forces, the concrete barrier provides whatever force is required
to decelerate the car.  In the case of the head on crash, the same force is
required... by each car.  If you then look at Newton's laws - equal and
opposite reaction.  Each car supplies the reaction required by the other!

Orin.