--- Bill L <pythias@pacifier.com> wrote:
> Hello Ron,
>
> that's an easy one. the collisions are
> identical. ..
We have a winner (24 incorrect answers before this).
It is NOT 40 + 40 = 80, twice as bad. The crash has
twice the total energy, but each car absorbs half,
where as hitting an immovable object the 40 MPH car
takes all of it. Now, if there were a heavier car, it
would move the lighter car, so for the heavier car it
would be like hitting a wall at, say, 30 mph, vs. 50
mph for the smaller car. Now it comes down to which
car takes a hit better at a given level of crash
energy.
=====
Ron Soave
"But you don't really know me."
- Bruce Springsteen, after a fan screamed "We Love You, Bruce!"
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