Why do airbags make a car safer

In a car crash the car decelerates really quickly. If there is no air bag your head continues to travel at the same speed as before until it hits the dash board and decelerates really quickly upon impact, since Force= mass x acceleration (F=ma), this results in a large force being applied to your head which is very damaging.

An airbag puts a soft material between your head and the dashbord which causes your head to decelerate over a longer time and so at a slower rate this causes the force on your head to decrease which makes injury less likely or less severe

Answered by Vedant B. Physics tutor

1979 Views

See similar Physics GCSE tutors

Related Physics GCSE answers

All answers ▸

Kinetic theory describes the movement of particles in three states of matter. If a cube of ice is put in a tin with a tight fitting lid and continuously heated, why does the lid explode off?


What is the difference between displacement and distance?


An electric whisk in a bakery has two motors, each with an average power of 1500W. The whisk is used for 4 hours each day, 7 days a week. Electricity costs 18p per kilowatt-hour. Calculate the cost of the electricity used by the whisk in one week.


A tennis ball is hit over a net with a speed of 45ms^-1 and has a mass of 30g. Calculate the kinetic energy of tennis ball.


We're here to help

contact us iconContact usWhatsapp logoMessage us on Whatsapptelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo
Cookie Preferences