In a specialized testing facility, engineers carry out structural integrity assessments on high-speed rail freight containers.
In one simulation, a cargo unit of mass 45 kg travels at a constant velocity of 18 m/s. Calculate the momentum of the cargo unit.
In another simulation, the momentum of the cargo unit changes by 840 kg m/s during an impact with a deceleration barrier lasting 0.12 s. Calculate the average horizontal force acting on the cargo unit during this collision.
State two physical factors that affect the braking distance of a vehicle on a road.
Use ideas about momentum to explain how a deceleration barrier (which is designed to deform slowly) helps to reduce damage to the cargo unit during a collision.