Airbags

[steve2006]

I was always under the impression that car airbags were something like a quickly inflated baloon but didn't realise the technology behind the system until I found this regarding the chemical reactions that occur during its deployment and all this in less time than it takes to blink!

"It takes three reactions to operate an airbag. Everything begins with a pellet containing a mixture of sodium azide, potassium nitrate and silicon dioxide. During a collision, a deceleration sensor ignites the gas mixture, causing sodium azide to decompose into nitrogen gas and sodium metal. The nitrogen gas inflates the bag, but sodium metal is potentially explosive, so a second reaction occurs to remove it. This involves sodium reacting with potassium nitrate to produce potassium oxide, sodium oxide and additional nitrogen gas. The metal oxides, also unstable, then react with silicon dioxide to produce silicate glass. And it all happens in 40 milliseconds."

If you're going anywhere near the airbag system always disconnect the Battery and then wait at least 10 minutes as the ECU has back up power which needs time to discharge, if you are not sure get the experts in. These things can save you from serious injury but can result in it unless treated with respect.

 

Just watch these idiots for how not to safely discharge one!