Oscar De La Huerte answered
Airbags first started life in the aeroplanes of World War II. Nowadays they are an integral part of vehicle safety in the design of modern cars.
The basic principle of an airbar is as follows:
How an airbag works
Naturally, wearing a seat belt will save you from a certain amount of injury, but an air bag has the extra effect of absorbing your energy, and slowing you down as you move forward. It cushions the blow.
The bag itself is made of thin nylon, and folded into the steering wheel, dashboard, seat or door. A sensor, which detects changes in the acceleration rate of the vehicle, tells the airbag when to inflate.
The bag inflates due to a chemical reaction between compartments of sodium azide and potassium nitrate that are released into the airbag. The combination of the two substances instantly produces nitrogen gas, which rapidly inflates the bag.
The following video is an example of how an airbag system works in a modern vehicle:
The basic principle of an airbar is as follows:
- When a car brakes or collides, the vehicle comes to an abrupt halt.
- The person inside however, continues moving until a physical force acts to stop that motion
- Without an airbag that physical force would be the steering wheel or dashboard.
- An inflated airbag acts as a cushion.
- This cushion absorbs some of the energy created when a person is thrust forward, making the impact less dangerous.
How an airbag works
Naturally, wearing a seat belt will save you from a certain amount of injury, but an air bag has the extra effect of absorbing your energy, and slowing you down as you move forward. It cushions the blow.
The bag itself is made of thin nylon, and folded into the steering wheel, dashboard, seat or door. A sensor, which detects changes in the acceleration rate of the vehicle, tells the airbag when to inflate.
The bag inflates due to a chemical reaction between compartments of sodium azide and potassium nitrate that are released into the airbag. The combination of the two substances instantly produces nitrogen gas, which rapidly inflates the bag.