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

The force in this case is from “speed” to “stopped” i.e. the acceleration from falling speed to hitting the ground. Dropped from higher, it gets much greater “speed” and then the acceleration from hitting the ground is X to 0, i.e. larger.