A car crashes into a wall. The driver's head moves forward into the inflated airbag, which compresses as the head is brought to rest.
Which statement explains why the compressing airbag reduces the average force on the driver's head?
The head's momentum falls to zero by the same amount but over a longer time.
The head continues at its original velocity until the airbag is fully compressed.
The airbag transfers the head's kinetic energy away over a shorter distance.
The head's momentum falls by a smaller amount because the airbag absorbs momentum.
126 exam-style questions on Edexcel GCSE Physics 2.5 Stopping and braking distances, covering 2.5.1 Stopping distance and reaction time, 2.5.2 Factors affecting stopping distance, 2.5.3 Dangers of large decelerations, and 2.5.4 Braking distance and initial speed. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.