@article{ref1,
title="Analysis of Collisions: Point Mass Mechanics and Planar Impact Mechanics",
journal="Collision: the international compendium for crash research",
year="2007",
author="Brach, Raymond Matthew and Brach, Michael",
volume="2",
number="1",
pages="38-50",
abstract="Conservation of linear momentum (COLM) is frequently used in the reconstruction of collisions. This article discusses the assumptions behind COLM, how it is applied with the skid-to-stop formula to reconstruct crashes and some problems that can arise if COLM is not applied carefully. A more general form of COLM is presented including concepts of restitution, force, impulse and principal direction of force. Whether or not energy is conserved in a collision also is addressed. The second part of this article covers planar impact mechanics. This is a more general method of analyzing and reconstructing collisions that takes rotational momentum of the vehicles into account. Comparisons of reconstruction calculations using planar impact mechanics are made to reconstruction calculations using point mass mechanics. Findings indicate that planar impact mechanics is relatively easy to apply and is more rigorous, giving more accurate results when rotational effects are significant.<p />",
language="",
issn="1934-8681",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}