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Description
The programme introduces the student to Newton's 2nd law of motion with a practical demonstration of the use of mathematical models to study the effect of frontal impact in car crashes.
Metadata describing this Open University video programme
Module code and title: TM281, Modelling by mathematics
Item code: TM281; 04
First transmission date: 03-05-1977
Published: 1977
Rights Statement:
Restrictions on use:
Duration: 00:24:28
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Producer: Pat McCurry
Contributors: Keith Attenborough; Bob Tunnicliffe
Publisher: BBC Open University
Keyword(s): Equations of motion; Newton's Laws; Safety belts
Footage description: Bob Tunnicliffe introduces the programme with some statistics of motor vehicle accident injuries and fatalities. A pie chart helps to illustrate his points. Film shots of a vehicle crash simulator showing a dummy being hurled through a car windscreen. Commentary by Tunnicliffe explains, briefly, what is happening. Keith Attenborough lists some of the suppositions which are built into the mathematical model he will present. Film shots of the vehicle impact test rig in action. Also shown is a graph and a caption board. Keith Attenborough, writing on a pad, works out some general equations of motion which he can apply to his specific problem. Keith Attenborough manipulates the four general equations of motion to model the motion of a vehicle windscreen during a head on crash. Attenborough goes on, with the aid of an animation and several graphs, to model the position of the windscreen relative to the vehicle occupant during a crash. Tunnicliffe briefly explains the implications of this model for a car occupant not wearing a seat belt. Keith Attenborough develops a mathematical model for an occupant of a car who is wearing a seat belt during a crash. He uses captioned graphs and writes on a pad to help illustrate his points. Attenborough goes on to develop the model to take account of windscreen motion. He demonstrates how an equation can be obtained in which the car occupant is prevented from striking the windscreen. Attenborough continues to write on a pad and show captioned graphs to illustrate his points. Bob Tunnicliffe, sitting inside a car and Keith Attenborough standing outside, sum up the reasons and advantages of wearing seat belts.
Master spool number: 6HT/72271
Production number: 00525_5288
Videofinder number: 770
Available to public: no