Why is a coffee cup dropped on a tile floor more likely to break than an identical cup dropped on a carpeted floor?
a. Carpet is softer than tile so it absorbs the momentum. That reduces the force on the cup.
b. The cup takes longer to stop when it hits carpet. That reduces the force on the cup.
c. Carpet absorbs energy better than tile. That reduces the force on the cup.
d. The cup is less likely to bounce when it hits carpet. That reduces the force on the cup.
Answer (1)
A coffee cup is more likely to break on tile than carpet due to the harder surface of tile causing a sudden stop, resulting in higher impact force. Carpet, being softer, allows the cup to decelerate gradually, thus reducing the force on impact. The option explaining this best is that the cup takes longer to stop on carpet, which reduces the force it experiences. ;
