Answer :
Final answer:
The correct answer is a) Crumple zone . The crumple zone is designed to protect occupants in a vehicle by allowing certain parts of the structure to collapse at different rates during a collision, thereby reducing the impact force. This is achieved by converting kinetic energy into other forms and spreading the forces over a wider area, which lessens the risk to passengers.
Explanation:
The correct answer is a) Crumple zone . The zone that protects occupants by allowing structures to collapse at different rates, thereby reducing the risk of penetration into the passenger compartment or spreading forces over a wider area, is known as the crumple zone. Crumple zones are an integral safety feature in modern vehicles designed to absorb and redistribute the force during a collision.
This is achieved by making the collision longer in terms of time, which reduces the force on the occupants. The principle behind crumple zones aligns with Newton's second law of motion and the concept of impulse, where increasing the time over which a collision happens results in a decrease in the force applied. Crumple zones convert kinetic energy into other forms, such as thermal energy, by allowing parts of the car to deform permanently, which also helps in slowing the car down safely.
Not only do crumple zones protect the vehicle's occupants by reducing the force transmitted to them, but they also contribute to the energy absorption during the collision, making them a critical component for passenger safety. The development of crumple zones represents a significant advancement in automotive safety technology, prioritizing the preservation of human life over vehicle integrity. Therefore, crumple zones serve a dual purpose: they reduce the force exerted on passengers and help to manage the kinetic energy more effectively during a collision.
