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What makes any airbag inflate?
The chemical at the heart of the air bag reaction is called sodium azide, or 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, which inflates the car’s air bags.
What is used to inflate car airbags?
Either nitrogen or argon gas is used to inflate an airbag. Both of these gases are non-toxic. Immediately after a deployment, “smoke-like” residue will be present in the air. Most of this residue is talcum powder that is used as a lubricant to help the airbag deploy smoothly.
What is the force of an airbag inflating?
But even as it is filling with nitrogen gas, an airbag is already venting so that when the human body makes contact, it’s not running into the equivalent of a fully inflated Pirelli P7 radial. In fact, the maximum pressure in an airbag is less than 5 psi—even in the middle of a crash event.
What gas is used in airbags?
nitrogen gas
Sodium azide is best known as the chemical found in automobile airbags. An electrical charge triggered by automobile impact causes sodium azide to explode and convert to nitrogen gas inside the airbag.
At what speed of impact do airbags deploy?
Typically, a front airbag will deploy for unbelted occupants when the crash is the equivalent of an impact into a rigid wall at 10-12 mph. Most airbags will deploy at a higher threshold — about 16 mph — for belted occupants because the belts alone are likely to provide adequate protection up to these moderate speeds.
How do airbags inflate?
This wire heats up, sending electricity into a heating element in the propellant, causing it to oxidize rapidly and the charge in the inflator of the airbag undergoes a chemical reaction, producing a gas that rapidly inflate the bag. Airbags on the car s steering wheel or the car s dashboard, go through a rapid process so the airbag can inflate.
How do airbags work in car accidents?
When a car is involved in a car accident the airbag rapidly inflates and deflates to cushion the driver or passenger. In addition, for an airbag to successfully inflate, the propellant goes through a chemical reaction to produce the gas that inflates the airbag.
Why do airbags have folds in them?
The folds are designed to decrease or eliminate the “slap” received by the driver or passenger as the airbag inflates. When the car gets into an accident sensors trigger the reaction and the airbag inflates in less than 1/20 of a second.
What is the chemical reaction that occurs in a car airbag?
The reaction occurs when the car s sensors detect that a crash has occurred. The chemical reaction produces a gas that inflates the airbag, the gas that the chemical reaction produces is nitrogen gas.