Let’s start from the beginning: what is a shock? A shock is the effect of an impact force on an object over a short time period. The effect occurs when the energy of the impact is transferred from one individual or object to another and can be damaging for some elements or the complete receptor object.
With the goal of reducing or mitigating these adverse consequences, shock absorbers come into play. Thanks to a process called damping, they promote the dispersion or disruption of the energy caused by impact forces by decreasing its strength or amplitude or by changing the energy wave’s frequency.
In the automotive industry, among others, these mechanical or hydraulic devices are designed to absorb and damp shock impulses by converting the kinetic energy of the shock into another form of energy (normally heat) that is dissipated.