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11th grade Compare designs that reduce the force in a collision worksheet

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Compare designs that reduce the force in a collision

Grade 11 Science Worksheet - Challenge Me

NameDate

Circle the best answer, or write your answer on the line.

  1. The same toy cart is stopped by a hard bumper in 0.05 s or a soft bumper in 0.2 s. How many times bigger is the hard bumper's average force, Ari?

  2. The same toy cart is stopped by a hard bumper in 0.02 s or a soft bumper in 0.5 s. How many times bigger is the hard bumper's average force, Bo?

  3. The same toy cart is stopped by a hard bumper in 0.1 s or a soft bumper in 0.3 s. How many times bigger is the hard bumper's average force, Esme?

  4. Using the bumper table, does D's 15 N fit F = Δp ÷ Δt, Jun?

    • Yes: 0.4 × 6 = 15
    • No: it should be 60 N
    • No: it should be 2.4 N
    • Yes: 6 ÷ 0.4 = 15 N
  5. Using the bumper table, why is spring bumper B's force 120 N instead of 6 ÷ 0.1 = 60 N, Kira?

    Use the picture in question 4.

    • The bounce doubles Δp to 12 kg·m/s
    • The table is wrong
    • Springs add their own energy
    • The cart is heavier with B
  6. Using the bumper table, foam bumper A is tried on a 4 kg cart at 3 m/s with the same 0.2 s stop. Does it still meet the 50 N limit, Luz?

    Use the picture in question 4.

    • Yes: it drops to 15 N
    • Yes: it stays 30 N
    • No: the force becomes 60 N
    • No: the force becomes 600 N
  7. Milo says a stiffer bumper that stops carts faster is gentler. Agree or disagree?

    • Agree: quicker stops are gentler
    • Agree: bouncing back is gentler too
    • Agree: the lightest bumper wins
    • Disagree: a faster stop means a bigger force
  8. Noah says a springy bumper that bounces carts back is gentler than foam. Agree or disagree?

    • Disagree: a bounce makes Δp bigger
    • Agree: quicker stops are gentler
    • Agree: just the force matters, not the limits
    • Agree: bouncing is gentler
  9. How could Ren improve foam bumper A to lower its force while staying under 100 g?

    • Replace it with wood
    • Add a spring so it bounces
    • Make it from a heavier, thicker block
    • Use a softer foam of the same mass
  10. How could spring bumper B be changed so it stops carts without bouncing them back, Tala?

    • Paint it
    • Add a damper that soaks up the push-back
    • Remove the spring
    • Use a stiffer spring that stores more energy
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11th grade Compare designs that reduce the force in a collision worksheet – printable
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About this worksheet

Compare designs that reduce the force in a collision. Every version has 10 questions, and the answer key prints on the second page.

What your child will learn

  • I can find the average stopping force, F = Δp ÷ Δt, and the stopping time a force limit requires.
  • I can compare bumpers. A longer stop means a smaller force, and a bounce raises Δp, so it is not gentler. The force ratio is soft time ÷ hard time.
  • I can use a criteria table. I can tell criteria (goals) from constraints (limits) and choose a design that meets every constraint.
  • I can check test data against the physics, plan fair repeated tests, spot failure modes (foam that bottoms out) and suggest improvements.

Standard: HS-PS2-3, HS-ETS1-3

Words to know

criterion: A goal a good design should meet as well as possible

constraint: A limit a design must not break, like a mass limit

average force: Δp ÷ Δt over the stop

bottoming out: A soft bumper squashing completely flat, ending in a sudden stop

fair test: A test where only the design changes

Common mistakes

Your child multiplied by the time. Average force = change in momentum ÷ stopping time.

Your child divided force by momentum. Stopping time = change in momentum ÷ the force allowed.

Your child put the times the wrong way up. The hard bumper's force is bigger, by soft time ÷ hard time.

Questions parents ask

What is the most common mistake with compare designs that reduce the force in a collision?

Your child multiplied by the time. Average force = change in momentum ÷ stopping time.

Are these 11th grade science worksheets free to print?

Yes. All 6 printable versions at each level are free to print, with the answer key, and no account is needed.

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