Final answer:
Airbags, like other safety devices that use gas canisters, must be stored below certain temperatures to prevent the risk of explosion due to increased internal pressure. The ideal gas law explains this temperature-pressure relationship, and correct understanding is essential for usage and safety.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question relates to the safe operating temperatures for materials in a Maxi Force Air Bag, which are safety devices designed to deploy upon impact in vehicles to minimize serious injuries to passengers.
The storage recommendation for a canister, which may use a similar propellant mechanism, is to keep it at temperatures below 120 °F (48.8 °C) to prevent the danger of explosion caused by increased pressure inside the container as a result of temperature rise. This can be explained by the ideal gas law, which states that the pressure of a gas is directly proportional to its temperature when volume and the amount of gas are held constant.
For example, if we have a gas initially at 24 °C and 360 kPa in a sealed can of volume 350 mL, and the temperature inside a car on a hot day reaches 50 °C, we can calculate the new pressure in the can using the ideal gas law. This physical principle is critical for understanding why it is also advised not to inflate airbags against sharp objects or extremely hot objects, which could compromise the integrity of the bag or lead to a hazardous situation.