Imagine catching a cricket ball. If you catch it with rigid hands, it HURTS! But if you let your hands move backwards with the ball, it's much gentler. Why? The ball's momentum change is the same either way โ but by increasing the TIME over which you stop it, you reduce the FORCE. This is impulse, and it's why cars have crumple zones, cyclists wear helmets, and gymnasts land on springy floors!
Impulse Equation (Higher Tier)
F ร t = m ร ฮv = ฮ(mv)
Impulse (N s) = Change in momentum (kg m/s)
This introduction covers Why Crumple Zones Save Lives within Impulse & Collisions for GCSE Physics. Revise Impulse & Collisions in Forces for GCSE Physics with 13 exam-style questions and 10 flashcards. Use this page as part of a wider topic revision path rather than treating it as an isolated fact. It is section 1 of 7 in this topic. Use this introduction to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Practice questions for Impulse & Collisions
Which equation correctly defines impulse?
Explain how an airbag reduces the risk of injury to a driver in a collision.
Quick recall flashcards
Understanding Impulse
Impulse = Force ร time (F ร t) โ measured in N s
Understanding Impulse
Impulse = Change in momentum (ฮp = mฮv) โ measured in kg m/s