Final answer:
Proper positioning is critical when children are seated next to a side airbag to prevent injury upon deployment. Use of appropriate child restraint systems and adherence to safety guidelines for children are essential. Airbags, in conjunction with seatbelts, increase safety through impulse, reducing the force in a collision.
Step-by-step explanation:
When children are seated next to a side airbag, it's crucial to ensure that they are positioned properly to avoid injury when the airbag deploys. Airbags are designed to protect adults in a crash, and if a child is sitting too close to the airbag or is not properly restrained, the force of an inflating airbag can cause serious injuries, especially to younger children. To minimize the risk, use appropriate child restraint systems that are installed properly and ensure that children are seated according to the guidelines specified for their age, size, and weight.
For optimal protection, airbags and seatbelts should be used in conjunction. By understanding the concept of impulse, which is the product of the net force and the time over which it acts (Fnet ∆t), we can appreciate how airbags increase the time over which the force is applied, therefore reducing the net force and the likelihood of injury during a high-impact collision. Always adhere to manufacturer recommendations and safety standards to maximize safety for all passengers, especially children.