A car moving with a constant speed of 72 km h⁻¹ is brought to rest in a short…
PHYSICS · Multi-part · CBSE · Physics · Force and Laws of Motion · Force and Laws of Motion
Problem
A car moving with a constant speed of 72 km h⁻¹ is brought to rest in a short distance when the driver suddenly applies the brakes. Consider a passenger seated without holding any support inside the car.
(i) State Newton’s first law of motion.
(ii) When the car stops abruptly, the passenger appears to be thrown forward. Explain this observation on the basis of inertia.
(iii) Describe in detail how seat belts and airbags work together to protect the passenger during such sudden stoppage.
(iv) Identify which kind of inertia (of rest, of motion, or of direction) is primarily involved in part (ii), giving reasons for your choice.