Independent Study Project: The Chemistry Behind The Airbag

In the lab of “The Falling Eggs and Automotive Lab”, we had to design a protective device able to hold the egg and allowing it survive from the impact of hitting the ground from the top of the staircase. We did this lab to investigate newton’s Laws and prove how they work. In the lab, we have to observe the forces that act on the egg and evaluate the way they work. We do this lab with an egg to relate to a real life collision with a car. The egg is essentially the person and the device that the egg is in is the Airbag. We use our knowledge about airbags and apply that to this lab in order to make the egg survive and not crack.

The headrest was invented by Benjamin Katz in 1921. He created the headrest to prevent movement of a person's head during collisions. It was found that the headrest eliminated whiplash or several injuries to the cervical vertebrae during a car crash. Katz also created the headrest as an emergency device to break a window and get out of the car in case of an accident where you cannot get out of the doors. This invention soon reached worldwide popularity due to the comfort and safety they provided to automobile users. After January 1st, 1969, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) mandated the use of headrests in all new cars sold. Since Katz's invention, the headrest has gone through many changes, including safety, comfort,

An airbag uses fast reacting chemicals for their inflation. The chemicals produce a rapidly expanding gas. In other words,

Manufacturing issue with the police vehicle extra equipment’s holes are not properly seal up with foam and sealant which consequently allow the carbon monoxide from the exhaust to enter through the unsealed seams in the rear of the SUV [1] (Follow the money & fact)

An airbag is a vehicle safety device. The airbag like seatbelts are occupant restraint system that consists of a flexible fabric bag, also known as an airbag cushion. The airbag module is designed to inflate rapidly then quickly deflate during a collision or impact with another object or a sudden deceleration. The purpose of the airbag is to provide occupant protection and restraint during a crash event.

Front air bags have been on all new cars since 1998 and light trucks since 1999. Most vehicles had them before. Crash sensors connect to a computer and can detect a front collision and trigger the bags. The bags inflate in a few milliseconds then it starts deflating.

There are many people who do not understand the importance of seat belts for safety. They do not wear their seat belts even though they know the mortality statistics. Most of them think that seat belts do not help when an accident occurs. We have all made the excuse that the seat belt is uncomfortable. Driving is a dangerous duty that should always be practiced with more caution and care. Some people think that not wearing a seatbelt is rebellious. Other people think that they will never get into accident. Some of the consequences of not wearing a seat belt is that you could die, you can get injured and many more. So far, the only way to avoid these consequences from happening is to wear a seatbelt.

So, the latest Toyota Corolla iM is no different. It comes with curtain airbags, driver’s knee airbag, side airbags and seat cushion airbag to keep the front passenger safe during a collision.

The airbags purpose is to move out quickly enough for a head-on collision, to prevent any harm to the individuals in the vehicle during a car accident. The airbag system consists of a crash sensor(accelerometer),that detects when a car decelerates very quickly, which then causes the ball(crash sensor) to move forward and turn on the electrical circuit which causes the process of inflation to occur. The gas generator in the airbag contains a mixture of NaN3, KNO3, and SiO2.The current pulse heats up the sodium Azide, which then decomposes it into sodium and nitrogen gas. Silicon dioxide, sodium oxide, and potassium oxide formed then turn into glass. That fire triggered the chemical reaction that filled the nylon fabric airbag

The inflation of airbags requires a lot of chemistry. They are inflated from the products of a chemical reaction. Inside the airbag is a gas generator which contains a mixture of NaN3, KNO3, and SiO2. (“Gas Laws,” n.d.)

Air bags are made out of a fabric, like nylon. They saved around 15,000, inside the car pedestrians, over the last 20 years. They are in about every car in the world. They save a lot of people involved in crashes inside the car, but don’t help the people outside of the car. Many people get in a car accident and there are surrounding pedestrian who are in harm’s way. They may be injured or killed during these vehicular accidents. There is nothing protecting these people walking on the sidewalks, in the cross walk, biking, or are just near the roads. That is why many companies are looking to add new airbags, not only on the inside off cars, but on the outside.

Air bags are actually inflated by a solid rocket booster. Sodium azide (NaN3) and potassium nitrate (KNO3) react very quickly to produce a large pulse of hot nitrogen gas. This gas inflates the bag, which literally bursts out of the steering wheel or dashboard as it expands. Airbags need to inflate at an extremely fast rate in order to be fully inflated by the time a person 's body begins to

After an air bag inflates, deflation starts immediately. Deflation occurs when the gas escapes through pores in the fabric. Deployment is accompanied most of the time by the release of dust-like particles in the

Seat belts although they are the most effective safety device on cars must be made safer. Out of all people who died in car accidents, 63% of those were not wearing seat belts (seatbelts). This goes to show you the effectiveness of seat belt. Therefore automotive manufactures must mandate the installation of 5-point seatbelt on all cars. In all major race car organization such as NASCAR (National Association Stock Car Automotive Racing) they require these 5-point seat belt. Which is nothing more than a seatbelt that is buckled in 5 spots rather that the conventional 3.

Even though it will not protect from total injury or death, it is helpful by doing the duty of cushioning the passengers. Like seatbelt does, airbags decrease the impact that passengers receive directly and also reduce the force by spreading it over wide areas. For other parts in the air bag, there is Crash Sensor that is in the car to sensor the force receives when car accident happens and the direction of an impact. When the sensor detects the force highly enough, it sends the sign which will set off the igniter and that will lead up to inflating the air bag. When a car receives a harsh crash, small electric charge will run and the chemicals around them will create a gas and that is the principle of inflating the air