Essay Option 3: Car Crash Reconstruction

~ A Problem-Based Learning Exercise ~

Danny and Janet were on their way to a drive-in picture show ...

Under development; do not start this activity until it has been FINALIZED.

You are a member of an investigative team (or working individually as a private consultant if you prefer) hired by an insurance company to determine the circumstances and who was at fault for a fatal accident. There are genera land specific questions that must be answered as you solve this problem. The general questions are as follows:

• Did vehicle 1 pass the stop sign without stopping?
• Was vehicle 2 exceeding the speed limit?
• What factors contributed to the accident?
• What was at fault for the accident if anyone?

Specific questions will be found in the specific requirements section below.

Start by reading the disclaimer followed by the newspaper clipping and the police report, and then view the aerial photograph of the crash site. After this, continue on following the guidelines below the readings as you prepare your final report.

Disclaimer

Newspaper Clipping

Police Report

Aerial Photograph of Crash Site

Specific Requirements:

TBD

Guidelines:

1. You may work individually or as a member of a group. If you do work as part of a group, please note that GROUP REPORTS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE. While you may work with a group to solve the problem, your report must be unique an not a product of the group. Each person is responsible for writing his or her own report.
2. Hand-written reports are not acceptable. The report must be word processed and have a professional appearance as would be expected for a consultant.
3. All equations used must first be shown in variable form, and then solved for the one variable needed (e.g., if solving F = ma for a, then write a = F/m).
4. Values and their units are accurately inserted into equations only after they have been solved in algebraic form (e.g., a = 20N/4kg = 5N/kg = 5m/s/s).
5. When more complex equations are used such as with a square root, be certain to use an equation editor.
6. Please realize that you might have to search the internet for important information regarding each car and even aspects of the natural environment (e.g., sun).
7. As you work to solve the various problems identified in detail below, you probably will need to make use of the work-energy theorem, the impulse-momentum theorem, kinematic relationships, definitions, conversion factors, friction, conservation of momentum, and more.
8. If you make any assumptions, you must fully justify them.
9. If you refer to outside sources, you must cite them in your report's references section.

If you choose to work with a group... please keep the following points in mind:

• Every student should contribute to the discussion.
• Every student should be non-judgmental of other student's opinions. Listen to others' opinions. Let others finish talking before sharing your opinion or raising a question.
• Every student should have the opportunity to express his or her ideas without their ideas being attacked. Do not laugh at or attack other people's comments.
• Every student should ask questions when an idea or fact is presented that they do not understand.
• Remember that the course instructor is primarily a facilitator and not an information giver.

(Under development, last updated February 19, 2012)