Final answer:
Airbags and crumple zones in vehicles decrease the force of impact on occupants during a collision by increasing the time over which the force is applied, thereby utilizing the concept of impulse to improve safety.
Step-by-step explanation:
One of the most critical safety features in a motor vehicle designed to help slow the occupant's rate of deceleration in a frontal collision is the airbag. In terms of physics, airbags and crumple zones utilize the concept of impulse to enhance safety. Impulse is defined as the product of the net force and the time over which it acts (Fnet ∆t).
During a collision, the airbags deploy to increase the duration over which the force acts on the occupants, spreading the force over a longer time and thus reducing the force's impact. This is beneficial because the change in momentum is the same, but by extending the time, the net force experienced by the occupants is decreased, leading to a lesser likelihood of injury. Similarly, cars with parts that crumple or collapse during accidents extend the time of impact, which means the force on the vehicle and its occupants is less intense, again minimizing injuries.
These features, based on impulse, are crucial because bones and the human body can only withstand forces up to a certain limit. The design of airbags and the introduction of crumple zones in cars are examples of automotive engineering using physics principles to save lives and reduce injuries during collisions.