MythBusters - Crash Force - awesome test

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Video - MythBusters - Crash Force

Mythbusters crew decided to revisit an old myth that was drawing the ire of the show's fans for quite some time. And it's sure to be an interesting topic to automotive enthusiasts.

When two cars collide, each traveling 50 miles per hour, does the resulting force equal one car hitting an immovable object at 100 miles per hour?

It seems like such simple physics, no? But don't forget Newton's third law. To quote the great Wikipedia of knowledge, "Whenever a first body exerts a force F on a second body, the second body exerts a force −F on the first body. F and −F are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction." Or, more simply, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

 

[CJ3Flyr]

Very cool! I had always heard heard that 40mph into a wall was about all the human body could handle. I have also always heard that a brief encounter w/50g's is it for humans.

At 50mph those crashes were just over 50g's. I guess that's why nobody focuses on crash testing (into a wall) much above 40mph. Without getting into super-long hood cars that could reduce g-loading 40mph is nearing the upper-end for humans.

IIRC Princess Diana had injuries consistent w/near 50g's, the heart and other organs rips and internal bleeding occurs. (Much science has gone into the human limits for the production of ejection seats in military planes.)

 

[Uneek]

I don't watch the show regliously, but made sure I didn't miss this episode. It clears the typical misconception that a lot of people say, myself included... when two cars traveling at 50mph in the opposite direction hit head on, the impact is equal to hitting a wall at 100mph, which is not the case.

But either way, I still won't be on left lane next to on-coming traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge. :hiding: