An airbag is a type of vehicle safety device. It is a restraining device that inflates quickly during a car accident. It keeps the driver and passenger from slamming into the steering wheel or a window. The airbag is only supposed to inflate in moderate to severe frontal collisions.
The chemical at the heart of the air bag reaction is sodium azide, also known as NaN3. CRASHES trip sensors in cars that send an electric signal to an ignitor. The heat generated causes sodium azide to decompose into sodium metal and nitrogen gas,
2 NaN3 --> 2 Na + 3 N2
which inflates the car's air bags.Inside the airbag is a gas generator containing a mixture of NaN3, KNO3, and SiO2.First, the sodium reacts with potassium nitrate (KNO3) to produce potassium oxide (K2O), sodium oxide (Na2O), and additional N2 gas. The N2 generated in this second reaction also fills the airbag, and the metal oxides react with silicon dioxide (SiO2) in a final reaction to produce silicate glass, which is harmless and stable.
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