Final answer:
The number of moles of carbon dioxide needed to fill an airbag is calculated by measuring the bag's volume and using the ideal gas law, alongside stoichiometry based on the chemical reaction.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the number of carbon dioxide moles required to fill the airbag, the correct approach is A) By measuring the volume of the airbag and converting it to moles using the ideal gas law. This is accomplished through the use of the formula PV = nRT, where P represents the pressure, V represents the volume, n represents the number of moles, R is the ideal gas constant, and T is the temperature. Calculation of the necessary amount of reagent can then be done through stoichiometry based on the balanced chemical equation.
Stoichiometry and the ideal gas law are central to this process. You measure the volume of the airbag, then, using the ideal gas law, you calculate how many moles of gas are needed to fill that volume at the given temperature and pressure. The number of moles of reactants required can then be determined based on the stoichiometry of the chemical reaction used in the air bag deployment.