ABSTRACT
In previous chapters some aspects of energy methods have already been discussed. In the chapter about simple skids, it was shown how the initial kinetic energy of a vehicle can be dissipated by irreversible work done during braking. In the chapters about simple skids and simple vehicular falls, the interplay between kinetic energy and potential energy was examined. In the previous chapter about momentum methods, it was shown how the irreversible work done in crushing a vehicle during impact relates to the degree of elasticity or plasticity of the collision. In all of these applications, the fundamental assumption has been the conservation of energy.
