Air bags are activated when a severe impact causes a steel ball to compress a spring and electrically ignite a detonator cap. This causes sodium azide (NaN3) to decompose explosively according to the following reaction.

Question

Air bags are activated when a severe impact causes a steel ball to compress a spring and electrically ignite a detonator cap. This causes sodium azide (NaN3) to decompose explosively according to the following reaction.
2 NaN3(s)  2 Na(s) + 3 N2(g)
What mass of NaN3(s) must be reacted in order to inflate an air bag to 73.1 L at STP?

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Is STP T=273K and P=1atm?

DrBob222 · Answer

Use PV = nRT, substitute the numbers and solve for n = number of moles N2.
Using the coefficients in the balanced equation, convert moles N2 to moles NaN3. Convert moles NaN3 to grams. g = moles x molar mass.
Post your work if you get stuck.