Final answer:
Seat belts and airbags in vehicles increase the time of impact during collisions, reducing the force and risk of injury thanks to the physics of impulse. Crumple zones in cars also serve to extend the collision time and lessen the force experienced by occupants.
Step-by-step explanation:
They keep the passenger from being injured during sudden stops and turns by extending the time of impact, thus reducing the force experienced. Seat belts and airbags are safety features installed in vehicles that offer this protection.
When an airbag deploys during a collision, it increases the duration over which the force is applied to the passengers, resulting in a lower force and a reduced risk of injury. This concept is linked to the idea of impulse, which is the product of the net force on an object and the time over which it acts.
The longer the time (Δt), the less force (Fnet) is required to bring the vehicle and its occupants to stop, according to the impulse equation Fnet Δt. Additionally, modern cars have parts that can crumple in a collision, thus increasing the collision time and lowering the force exerted on the vehicle and its occupants.