Eli5 If the equation for force is F=ma why does dropping the same object from 2 different heights change how much an object would be crushed?

Question

In science one year, we did a test of dropping a water bottle from different heights over a Pringle, and we had to protect the Pringle with a paper. But how would increasing the height increase the force is the mass and acceleration is the same?

In: 152

Answer 1

How does the velocity just before impact change with different heights? When dropped from a higher height, the object impacts the ground with a higher speed, right? Another way to look at this is by potential energy to kinetic energy conversion.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crumple_zone

Increasing the time and distance of an impact results in smaller peak forces. Peak forces are what break things.