Impact attenuator

High school (ages 12+)
Safety & Emergency

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/impact-attenuator

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the primary function?To absorb and dissipate the kinetic energy of a colliding vehicle
2. What is the energy dissipation methods?Sequential crushing, material deformation, sand/water release, telescoping elements
3. Why do impact attenuators help keep people safe?When a car hits an attenuator, the device takes some of the car’s energy and spreads it out over time and distance. This makes the crash less hard, so the people inside the car are less likely to get hurt.
4. Where are impact attenuators usually put?They are often placed at the ends of hard barriers, at the sides of bridges, or on the middle of roads where cars might leave their lane. These spots are the most likely to have a serious crash.

Kinetic Energy: The energy possessed by an object due to its motion, calculated as 1/2 mass velocity^2.
Work-Energy Theorem: The principle stating that the work done on an object equals the change in its kinetic energy.
Crashworthiness: The degree to which a vehicle or structure protects its occupants during a collision.