goal posts at the ends of football fields are padded as a safety measure for players who might run into…

Brief Explanations:

Thick padding increases the time of impact when a player collides with the goal - post. According to the impulse - momentum theorem ($J = \Delta p = F\Delta t$), for a given change in momentum ($\Delta p$), increasing the time of impact ($\Delta t$) reduces the force ($F$) exerted on the player, thus reducing the likelihood and severity of injuries.

Answer:

Thick padding increases the impact time, reducing the impact force on players and thus reducing injuries.