Automotive air bags inflate when sodium azide decomposes explosively to its constituent elements: 2NaN₃ (s) → 2Na (s) + 3N₂ (g)
How many grams of sodium azide are required to produce 30.5 g of nitrogen?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

To find the grams of sodium azide required, first calculate the moles of nitrogen produced: 30.5 g N₂ / 28.02 g/mol = 1.088 moles N₂. From the balanced equation, 2 moles of NaN₃ produce 3 moles of N₂. Therefore, 1.088 moles N₂ require (2/3) * 1.088 = 0.725 moles NaN₃. The molar mass of NaN₃ is 65.01 g/mol, so 0.725 moles * 65.01 g/mol = 47.2 g NaN₃.

Automotive Air Bags Inflate When Sodium Azide Decomposes Explosively to Its