A cushioned landing mat increases the impact time during which the athlete’s downward velocity reduces to zero. According to Newton’s second law, extending the duration reduces acceleration, thereby significantly reducing the impact force and preventing injury.
During a high jump event, a landing mat or sand bed is placed for the athlete to fall upon (Fig. 6.39). Explain the reason behind it.
Share
As shown in Fig. 6.39, a landing mat or soft sand bed yields under the falling athlete, increasing the time duration taken to bring their high downward velocity to zero. From Newton’s second law of motion, rate of change of momentum is proportional to force. By extending this stopping time, the acceleration and the resulting impact force decrease substantially, protecting the athlete from severe impact injuries.
For more NCERT Solutions of Class 9 Science Exploration Chapter 6 How Forces Affect Motion Question Answer (2026-27)
https://www.tiwariacademy.com/ncert-solutions/class-9/science/exploration-chapter-6/