PHYSICS LESSON

Published June 4, 2012
By Chuck Dorney
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio

Via e-mail -- Reference the "Point, Counterpoint" letter in the Spring 2012 "Torch Talk" (page 2), Dave Soetanto is entirely correct that a car going 60 mph crashing into another car going 60 mph would have the same effect as one crashing into a wall at 60 mph.

Here is another explanation I use without any math: Have two identical cars hit each other head on at 60 mph. Now, place a rigid wall between the two cars and have them drive into it at 60 mph. There will be no change in damage to either car.

Now, remove the second car and let the first car hit the rigid wall. Still no change in damage.

Of course, the two cars must be identical. A Suburban crashing into a Fiat 500 would have different results altogether.