Airbag
Purpose during a crash:
Airbags are inflated explosively and can be dangerous in normal circumstances, however they decrease the chance the passenger will be injured during a crash.
Crash sensors in the car (electronic or mechanical) sense sudden decelerations, which triggers the airbags circuit. The circuit passes an electric current through a heating element and the element ignites a chemical explosive. The explosive generates a massive amount of harmless gas that floods into a nylon bag packed behind the steering wheel or in other places around that car and is inflated. The airbag needs to inflate in 50 milliseconds or less to be effective.
Airbags protects the passenger from inertia, preventing them from hitting the dashboard, steering wheel, windshield or seat in front. Without an airbag the (front) passenger will hit the windshield in up to 80 milliseconds after the impact, which would cause serious injury. Airbags also prevent the passenger from hitting the door or an object hit in the crash.
Airbags are inflated explosively and can be dangerous in normal circumstances, however they decrease the chance the passenger will be injured during a crash.
Crash sensors in the car (electronic or mechanical) sense sudden decelerations, which triggers the airbags circuit. The circuit passes an electric current through a heating element and the element ignites a chemical explosive. The explosive generates a massive amount of harmless gas that floods into a nylon bag packed behind the steering wheel or in other places around that car and is inflated. The airbag needs to inflate in 50 milliseconds or less to be effective.
Airbags protects the passenger from inertia, preventing them from hitting the dashboard, steering wheel, windshield or seat in front. Without an airbag the (front) passenger will hit the windshield in up to 80 milliseconds after the impact, which would cause serious injury. Airbags also prevent the passenger from hitting the door or an object hit in the crash.
Physics
-Can reduce the pressure on the face by more than 80%
-In collision you are bought to rest very quickly (100ms). Even high speeds produce high deceleration speeds.
-Open at up to 300km/h
-According to Newton’s first law, during a crash the car stops almost instantly, however the passenger keeps moving forward at a constant velocity until a force stops them. A seatbelt will reduce the passengers speed however the head is not included. Airbags help protect the head.
-Airbags are correctly known as supplementary restraint system (SRS).
-Can reduce the pressure on the face by more than 80%
-In collision you are bought to rest very quickly (100ms). Even high speeds produce high deceleration speeds.
-Open at up to 300km/h
-According to Newton’s first law, during a crash the car stops almost instantly, however the passenger keeps moving forward at a constant velocity until a force stops them. A seatbelt will reduce the passengers speed however the head is not included. Airbags help protect the head.
-Airbags are correctly known as supplementary restraint system (SRS).
Developments
1971: Ford built an experimental set of cars that had airbags.
1973: General Motors tested airbags on the 1973 model Chevrolet automobile that were sold for government use only.
1973: Oldsmobile Toronado was the first car with a passenger air bag intended for sale to the public.
1975 & 1976: General Motors offered an option to the general public of driver side airbags in full-sized Oldsmobiles and Buicks. Cadillacs were also available with airbags.
1984: Airbags were available in the Ford Tempo automobile.
1988: Chrysler became the first company to offer air bag restraint systems as standard equipment.
1994: TRW began production of the first gas-inflated airbag.
1998: Airbags were made mandatory for cars.
Through this time many advancements have been made to the design of the airbag. For example older airbags used sodium azide as their explosive whereas newer ones use different chemicals that are less harmful.
1971: Ford built an experimental set of cars that had airbags.
1973: General Motors tested airbags on the 1973 model Chevrolet automobile that were sold for government use only.
1973: Oldsmobile Toronado was the first car with a passenger air bag intended for sale to the public.
1975 & 1976: General Motors offered an option to the general public of driver side airbags in full-sized Oldsmobiles and Buicks. Cadillacs were also available with airbags.
1984: Airbags were available in the Ford Tempo automobile.
1988: Chrysler became the first company to offer air bag restraint systems as standard equipment.
1994: TRW began production of the first gas-inflated airbag.
1998: Airbags were made mandatory for cars.
Through this time many advancements have been made to the design of the airbag. For example older airbags used sodium azide as their explosive whereas newer ones use different chemicals that are less harmful.