How does inertial damping work?
In: Physics
Any moving object has a given momentum, if its accelerating due to gravity, its momentum is constantly growing. The only way to reduce momentum is with an impulse, aka *force* x *time*. A 100kg rock falling from 10m has ~10000 Joules of energy and right before it hits the ground is moving at ~10m/s. Thus in order to stop it must recieve an impulse of 10m/s x 100kg -> 1000kg*m/s.
Since impulse is a produce of force and time, it can happen in a short amount of time with a very high force (aka an impact), or slowly over more time with a lesser force, like hitting padding or a spring. This cannot be avoided, it is a consequence of the conservation of momentum and to the best of our knowledge an unbreakable law of physics.
Inertial dampening is how sci-fi often hand waves away the deadly effect of high g-forces on spacecraft and people. For a unflinchingly realistic depiction of how realistic future spacecraft would operate, watch the show the Expanse, which on the whole only uses realistic physics.
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