Question

The deployment of airbags during a car accident results from a chemical reaction that, until the 1990s, involved sodium azide, NaN3. Sodium azide has since been replaced by less toxic substances that react in a similar way. In older airbags a crash triggers the decomposition of NaN3 to form elemental sodium and nitrogen gas, which fills the airbag. How many moles of N2 gas are produced when 159.2 g NaN3 decomposes?

Answer 1

Answer: 3.675 moles of
`N_2` gas

Step-by-step explanation:

Decomposition of sodium azide is shown by equation below:

`2NaN_3\rightarrow 2Na+3N_2`

`\text{Number of moles}=\frac{\text{Given mass}}{\text{Molar mass}}`

`\text{Number of moles of sodium azide}=(159.2g)/(65g/mol)=2.450moles`

According to stoichiometry:

2 moles of
`NaN_3` produce 3 moles of
`N_2`

Thus 2.450 moles of
`NaN_3` will produce=
`(3)/(2)* 2.450=3.675` moles of
`N_2`

Thus 3.675 moles of
`N_2` gas are produced when 159.2 g
`NaN_3` decomposes.