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How does the automobile safety device, the air bag, work and how well does it prevent injuries?

An air bag is an automobile safety device in the form of an inflatable cushion that's stored in the car's instrument panel. When a frontal collision occurs, sensors trigger the release and reaction of sodium azide with iron, which produces large quantities of nitrogen gas. The air bag inflates at a speed of up to 200 miles per hour (322 kilometers per hour) within1/10of a second. This absorbs the shock of a crash and prevents the rider from being thrown forward. The bag deflates a second later, with the harmless nitrogen gas escaping through holes in the back.

Air bags are passive restraint devices, meaning they provide protection without requiring any action on the part of the automobile occupant. The development of air bags by automobile manufacturers was due, in part, to the failure of motorists...

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