Lesson 7 of 12 · Momentum
Experiment⭐ 30 XPWhy Crumple Zones Work
Why Crumple Zones Work.
🎯 Your mission
Run the experiment. Find out what really happens.
⚡ The twist
Nature loves to surprise the careful watcher.
Mind = Blown
🔬 The more you look, the more nature shows you.
Make a hypothesis first
Before you start: write down what you think will happen, and why.
What You'll Learn
A car in a crash must lose the same momentum whatever it hits. A crumple zone deliberately deforms so the stop takes longer, and because Ft is fixed, a longer t means a smaller peak force on the occupants.
Key Words
Tap a word to see its definition.
Materials Needed
- two trolleys
- cardboard
- tape
- eggs
- ramp
- phone with slow-motion video
Safety First
- Wash hands after handling raw egg and clean spills at once.
- Keep the ramp foot clear of feet.
Steps
Read the explanation above and note the two key terms before you start.
Build two identical trolley-mounted 'cars', one with a folded cardboard nose. Run both into a wall down the same ramp with an egg passenger and record which egg survives, then estimate each stopping time from slow-motion video.
Record what actually happened, including anything that did not match what you expected.
Write a conclusion that answers the question this lesson opened with, and state your uncertainty.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 2A crumple zone reduces the force on passengers by:
Where you see this in real life
This shows up in your everyday life more than you'd think.
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
Try one experiment in real life this week — even a tiny one.
For the dinner table
“What's the most surprising thing you learned today?”
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Why Crumple Zones Work
Run the experiment. Find out what really happens.
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