Airbags save our lives during an accident with the help of a decomposition reaction.
During an accident or collision, it just takes about 50 milliseconds for us to hit the steering wheel. So, there is very less time within which the airbags must inflate. Hence, when there is a collision, the sensors called accelerometers detect it and send electrical signal to an ignitor. The ignitor ignites a chemical propellant called sodium azide which decomposes, producing sodium and a large volume of nitrogen gas. This gas instantly inflates the airbag.
Now, since this whole process takes just about 30 to 40 milliseconds, the airbags blow before we hit the steering wheel, helping save our lives.
Check to see if your car is part of the Takata airbag recall: https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls
If you’re in a car accident, you want to be sure your airbags protect you. And they work because of chemistry, with some physics thrown in. This week on Reactions, we’re talking the science of airbags. And remember: Airbags are meant to work in conjunction with seatbelts, so buckle up!
[Pinned comment: In the aftermath of a crash, you might notice a puff of white powder and a funny smell. In older model cars, that’s cornstarch or talcum powder used to lubricate the bag itself, but in more recent vehicles, it’s the actual byproducts of the airbag reaction.]
Ever wonder why dogs sniff each others’ butts? Or how Adderall works? Or whether it’s OK to pee in the pool? We’ve got you covered: Reactions a web series about the chemistry that surrounds you every day.
Produced by the American Chemical Society.
Here’s an inside tear down of the internal components of an airbag, and how it works to save you in an accident.
An airbag works on the principle of a rapidly expanding gas that fills a balloon of air to cushion the impact of the occupant’s head during a collision. The reactive compound in the inflator is sodium azide, which decomposes into nitrogen gas and sodium. This explosion fills the airbag within milliseconds, and the deflates allowing the driver to regain control of the vehicle.
The Takata airbag recall was issued to vehicles with defective airbag inflators that would inflate with too much force. This could cause shrapnel to explode into the occupant’s face and cause injury or death.
In this video, a Honda airbag is taken apart as a demonstration to show the internal components of the airbag, including the airbag cover, the airbag balloon, the horn switch, airbag inflator and tamper proof electrical connectors.
Warning: Never take apart an airbag that has not been exploded. Any static or electrical current can set off the unstable sodium azide compound, causing it to explode.
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