Question

in many contact sports, players are required to wear helmets. using the information from the reading passage, how do helmets act similar to airbags?
helmets lower the amount of force felt by the player in a collision
helmets decreases the amount of time that the player experiences forces in a collision
helmets decreases the area on the players head where forces are applied in a collision
helmets prevent collisions entirely

Explanation:

According to the impulse - momentum theorem \(J = F\Delta t=\Delta p\). For a given change in momentum \(\Delta p\), if the time of contact \(\Delta t\) is increased, the force \(F\) is decreased. Helmets (like airbags) increase the time of contact during a collision, which in turn reduces the force felt by the person.

• Option 1: Helmets (and airbags) work by increasing the time of collision (not directly lowering the force in an un - related way). The force is lowered as a result of the increased time.
• Option 2: This is incorrect. Helmets (and airbags) increase the time of the collision.
• Option 3: This is not the main similarity. The key similarity is related to the time of collision and force reduction, not the area.
• Option 4: Helmets (and airbags) do not prevent collisions, they just make the collisions less harmful.

Answer:

Helmets lower the amount of force felt by the player in a collision.