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Background: Air Bags

Background: Air Bags. In most cars today you will find an air bag. The air bag has 3 main parts. First the bag, which is made of a thin nylon fabric, holds the chemicals and sensors and folds into the steering wheel or the dashboard.

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Background: Air Bags

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  1. Background: Air Bags • In most cars today you will find an air bag. The air bag has 3 main parts. • First the bag, which is made of a thin nylon fabric, holds the chemicals and sensors and folds into the steering wheel or the dashboard. • The electron components contain a sensor that detects a collision force equal to running into a brick wall at about 10-15 mph and an igniter that detonated the first chemical reaction. • The third component contains NaN3, KNO3, and SiO2.

  2. Background: Air Bags • The chemical component in the airbag is a mixture sodium azide (NaN3) together with KNO3 and SiO2. • The first reaction has a high activation energy and an electrical impulse is require to start the reaction. This reaction liberates a large volume of nitrogen gas, which fills the air bag. • 2 NaN3 ⇒ 2Na + 3N2

  3. Background: Air Bags • The sodium by-product of reaction 1, and the potassium nitrate generate additional nitrogen for the air bag in a second reaction: • 10 Na + 2 KNO3 ⇒ K20 + 5 Na2O + N2

  4. Background: Air Bags • These two reactions leave potassium oxide and sodium oxide to react with the third compound of the mixture, silicon dioxide, forming alkaline silicate ("glass"), which is a safe, stable, and won’t produce a fire. • K2O + Na2O + SiO2 ⇒ alkaline silicate (glass) • The nylon bag actually has small holes in it and will deflate soon after inflating to allow the passenger to escape the accident.

  5. Materials • Zip lock bag • Balance • Graduated cylinder • Weigh boat • Baking soda (NaHCO3), • Vinegar (0.09 M HC2H3O2) • Additional materials

  6. Challenge: • Your task is to simulate the construction of an air bag using a Ziploc bag, baking soda (NaHCO3), and vinegar (~0.09 M HC2H3O2). • You may use a balance, weigh boat, and a graduated cylinder. • Your task is to mix the reactants in the bag to inflate but not burst the bag. • The best design will be one that fills the bag with enough gas so that you can not pinch the bag in the middle and have both side touch. • When you are ready to test your bag, consult your teacher.

  7. Things to include in your procedure: • How will you get both reactants inside the bag without losing gas? • If you need other materials for your procedure, check with your teacher. • Write your plan showing all calculations and have it initialized by your teacher before beginning. • You may do some preliminary testing but you must write them up and have the teacher initialize. • The teacher’s initials mean that it is safe, not that it is the correct method.

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