Quote:
Originally Posted by serialk11r
I said energy absorbed INTO the structure, rather than transferred kinetic energy.
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Impact energy is the transfer of Kinetic energy ... they are not separate or different things.
You credited a larger mass itself for absorbing more impact energy:
Quote:
Originally Posted by serialk11r
A heavier car absorbs more impact energy into the structure
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Which is still incorrect.
It is the design of the structure that would allow it to absorb or not absorb the energy of the impact.
More mass itself ... will ALWAYS increases the energy of the impact ... mass itself does not absorb impact energy it adds more impact energy to the event.
Two vehicles of identical design expect Car A weighs more than Car B ... both vehicles experience the same collision event with a stationary object at the same speed ... Car A with it's greater mass will have more impact energy than car B ... This is just the way the world works ... KE=1/2MV^2 and F=MA ... A heavier , more mass itself always equals more energy and more force... what you wrote about heavier absorbing more impact energy ... is backwards.
A good design can sometimes compensate for the mass penalties ... but that design benefit does not change the penalties of the greater mass ... the design benefits try to overcome or compete with the penalties of greater mass.