Force of impact definition – impact force equation

Force of impact is the total force exerted on an object during a collision. To derive the impact
force equation, you can consider the law of conservation of energy. In the beginning, a
moving object possesses kinetic energy that reduces to zero after the collision (object stops).
To fulfill the conservation law, the change of kinetic energy must be compensated by the
work done by the impact force. We express it with the below impact force equation

F=mv22d,F=2dmv2,

where:

 FF – Average impact force;

 mm – Mass of an object;
 vv – Initial speed of an object; and
 dd – Distance traveled during a collision.

Check the work calculator or work and power calculator to get familiar with work in physics
and how it is related to energy.

What may surprise you is that extending the distance moved during the collision reduces the
average impact force. It should be easier to understand if we rewrite the above impact force
formula in the alternative version using the time of collision tt instead of the distance dd:

F=vmtF=tvm

This is a special case of the formula for momentum, described in the impulse and momentum
calculator. Now, you can see that extending the time of the collision will decrease the average
impact force.

Let's consider two situations where you jump from a specific height. In the first case, you
jump to the ground, and in the second, on a trampoline. Because the surface of a trampoline is
more stretchy, it extends the time of the collision. You can feel your legs are subjected to a
lesser average impact force.

This case is analogical to car crashes. Cars are made to collapse upon impact extending the
time of the collision and lessening the impact force. That's why they can't be too durable.