Airbags work on the principle of a chemical reaction triggered by the

Airbags work on the principle of a chemical reaction triggered by the impact producing a gaseous product that causes a sudden volume change. Which one among the following chemical conversions is responsible for this ?

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Sodium azide into nitrogen gas

Solid carbon dioxide into gaseous carbon dioxide

Carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide

Sudden conversion of gaseous carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide

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UPSC NDA-1 – 2023

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Modern automotive airbags typically rely on the rapid decomposition of sodium azide (NaN₃). Upon impact, a sensor triggers an electric current that ignites a small amount of a starter compound, which in turn initiates the decomposition of sodium azide. The chemical reaction is: 2 NaN₃(s) → 2 Na(s) + 3 N₂(g). The large volume of nitrogen gas (N₂) produced rapidly inflates the airbag. Potassium nitrate and silicon dioxide are often included to react with the highly reactive sodium metal produced.

The rapid inflation of an airbag is caused by the generation of a large volume of gas from a chemical reaction triggered by impact. Sodium azide decomposing to nitrogen gas is the basis of this process.

The complete reaction mixture in an airbag contains sodium azide, an oxidizer (like potassium nitrate) to react with the sodium produced, and a substance like silicon dioxide or aluminum oxide to react with the products to form harmless slag. This ensures that no harmful substances are released into the car cabin.

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