Which starting material used in the air bag inflator is least important for the proper inflation of the air bag? Would it be necessary to have it present in a precise stoichiometric ratio? Why or why not?

2. What is the correct stoichiometric ratio between NaN3 and KNO3 to ensure no sodium is unreacted? What would be the consequences of an excess of KNO3 to the operation of an air bag?

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To find the answer to the first question, let's start by understanding the components of an air bag inflator. The inflator consists of a canister containing a solid propellant, which is a mixture of different chemicals.

The chemicals used in the propellant of an air bag inflator include a fuel source (such as sodium azide - NaN3) and an oxidizer (such as potassium nitrate - KNO3). When the air bag system is activated during a collision, an electric current passes through a heating element, which ignites the propellant mixture. This ignition causes a rapid chemical reaction, resulting in the generation of gas that inflates the air bag.

Now, coming back to the question, the starting material used in the air bag inflator that is least important for proper inflation is the fuel source (NaN3). The oxidizer (KNO3) is the critical component in the propellant mixture as it provides the necessary oxygen for the combustion reaction to occur. The fuel source plays a supplementary role in providing additional gas-generating potential.

It is not necessary to have the fuel source (NaN3) present in a precise stoichiometric ratio because the primary requirement is a sufficient amount of oxidizer (KNO3) to promote complete combustion of the mixture. The excess oxygen provided by the oxidizer ensures that the fuel is completely consumed, even if the stoichiometric ratio with the fuel source is not perfect.

Moving on to the second question, the stoichiometric ratio between NaN3 and KNO3 to ensure no sodium is unreacted is 6:10. This means that for every 6 moles of NaN3, you would need 10 moles of KNO3 to completely react.

If there is an excess of KNO3 in the mixture, it will not have severe consequences for the operation of the air bag. The excess oxidizer will react with the available fuel, resulting in the generation of additional gas. However, it is important to note that an excessive amount of gas can lead to a more forceful and potentially dangerous deployment of the air bag, which can cause injury to the occupants.

In summary, the least important starting material for air bag inflation is the fuel source (NaN3), as it primarily acts as a supplementary gas-generating component. The correct stoichiometric ratio between NaN3 and KNO3 is 6:10 to ensure complete reaction without any unreacted sodium. An excess of KNO3 can lead to a more forceful deployment of the air bag, potentially causing harm.

Air bag didn't matter