Automotive air bags inflate when a sample of sodium azide, NaN_3, is very rapidl

Question

Automotive air bags inflate when a sample of sodium azide, NaN_3, is very rapidly decomposed to form solid sodium and dinitrogen gas. What concerns do you think automotive air bag designers considered when selecting this reaction for their product? What would you have to consider in order to determine the appropriate amount of sodium azide to include in an automotive air bag' Think particularly about the assigned reading from chapter 3 - how are these chemistry concepts relevant to an everyday product like an automotive air bag?

Explanation / Answer

  NaN3 molecule is quite stable. If heated, following chemical reaction take place

2 NaN3 --> 2 Na + 3 N2

By product formed is sodium. Sodium is a very reactive metal that will react rapidly with water to form sodium hydroxide; as a result, it would be quite harmful if it got into your eyes, nose or mouth. So to minimize the danger of exposure, air bag manufacturers mix the sodium azide with other chemicals that will react with the sodium and, in turn, make less toxic compounds.

b)

130 grams of sodium azide will produceapproximately 67 liters of nitrogen gas--which is enough to inflate a normal air bag.

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