Final answer:
Rapid deceleration of the head, like impacting a windshield, commonly causes stretching or tearing of the anterior aspect of the brain and compression injuries or bruising to the posterior aspect, known as a coup-contrecoup injury.
Step-by-step explanation:
Rapid deceleration of the head, such as when it impacts the windshield, causes b) stretching or tearing of the anterior aspect of the brain and compression injuries or bruising to the posterior aspect of the brain. This type of injury is known as a coup-contrecoup injury, which refers to the brain receiving an impact at the site of trauma (coup) and then moving within the skull to hit the opposite side, causing additional damage (contrecoup).
When an individual experiences a rapid deceleration, the brain continues to move forward until it impacts the internal aspect of the skull, which can result in a contrecoup injury. Typically, the frontal lobe (anterior aspect) sustains a greater velocity against the skull, leading to stretching and potential tearing of brain tissue, while the back of the brain (posterior aspect) might be bruised from the secondary impact. These mechanics are critical in understanding head injuries sustained in vehicle accidents or falls, illustrating the dual aspect of brain damage that can occur.