Sodium azide facts for kids
Sodium azide, also known as sodium trinitride, is a special chemical compound. Its chemical formula is NaN3. It is mostly known for its use in car airbags.
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What Is Sodium Azide?
Sodium azide is a white, solid material that looks like tiny crystals. It is an explosive substance, meaning it can react very quickly and powerfully. A small electric spark can make it react.
This chemical is made of two parts: sodium and azide. It can react with acids to create a very dangerous gas called hydrazoic acid. Sodium azide is also a powerful reducing agent. This means it can easily give away electrons in chemical reactions, which is part of why it can be explosive.
How Is It Made?
Scientists make sodium azide in a few ways. One common way involves starting with ammonia and sodium to create another chemical called sodium amide. Then, this sodium amide reacts with nitrous oxide to form sodium azide.
Another method involves reacting sodium nitrate with sodium amide. It can also be made by combining sodium nitrite with hydrazine.
How Is It Used?
The most common use for sodium azide is in car airbags. Here's how it works:
- When a car crashes, a computer quickly senses the impact.
- This computer sends an electric signal to a small amount of sodium azide inside the airbag system.
- The signal makes the sodium azide react very fast. This reaction creates a lot of nitrogen gas.
- The nitrogen gas quickly inflates the airbag, protecting the people inside the car.
Sodium azide can also be used to make other explosive chemicals, like lead azide.
Staying Safe Around Sodium Azide
Sodium azide is a very dangerous chemical. It is highly toxic, which means it can be poisonous if it gets into your body.
If sodium azide touches acids, it creates a gas called hydrazoic acid. This gas is also very toxic and dangerous to breathe. The effects of sodium azide poisoning are similar to those of cyanide poisoning. It can harm your breathing system and your blood circulation system. Because it is so dangerous, only trained professionals should handle sodium azide.
Related Pages
- Lithium nitride, Li3N (sodium nitride does not exist)
- Nitrate
- Nitrite
