“But researchers have found that in a collision, especially a frontal one, unrestrained cargo flies forward with a force exponentially greater than its weight. At 55 mph, a 20-pound parcel exceeds 1,000 pounds of force. A can of peas or the family pet can cause serious injury or even death.”
The science background of this reporter is obviously weak. Exponentially greater than its weight?
Of course flying objects are more dangerous than stationary ones, but it sounds like the reporter jotted down some big words the researchers said then jumbled them together in the story.
Impact force equals mass times velocity.
I don’t think calculating it is as simple as multiplying pounds times mph, as the author appears to have done.
This formula is the reason relatively low-mass objects, such as bullets, can do massive damage when traveling at high enough speed.
Yes. F=1/2MV^2