What is shock? Shock is the effect on an object caused by the energy delivered to it by a force, usually an impact force, over a short time period. The effect of shock occurs when the energy of the impact is transferred from one individual object to another. This wave of energy can cause injury or damage to the affected individuals or objects. The main goal of a sophisticated shock absorbing system in a helmet is to absorb most of the impact energy in a short period of time. Different materials and the combination of these materials are offering different properties to achieve this goal.