A stunt performer jumps from the same platform twice: once onto a rigid floor and once onto a padded mat. The padded mat increases the time taken for the performer to come to rest.
Which statement explains how the padded mat reduces the average force on the performer?
The same change in momentum happens over a longer time, so the average force is smaller.
The mat reduces the change in momentum needed to stop, so the average force is smaller.
The mat spreads contact over a larger area, so the average force is smaller.
The longer stopping time means less energy is transferred from the kinetic store, so the average force is smaller.