What is the advantage of a padded dashboard compared to a rigid dashboard in reducing injuries in a collision?

Question

Explain using impulse and momentum ideas.

Answer 1

The acceleration of the head hitting a padded dashboard is smaller, as the speed is reduced to zero over a larger distance. The impulse and the momentum change are the same (integral F dt is the same) but t is greater so Fmax is smaller.

Answer 2

Using padded dashboard,during collision the velocity increases so as the momentum,time becomes longer because dashboard is padded unlike if it is rigid the impact or the time of impact is abrupt, and therefore the force of impact is lesser.

From the equation F(force of impact) = mv(momentum)/t(time of impact)

GoodLuck!