The deployment of airbags during a car accident results from a chemical reaction that, until the 1990s, involved sodium azide, NaN 3. Sodium azide has since been replaced by less toxic substances that react in a similar way.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 NaN 3 to form elemental sodium and nitrogen gas, which fills the airbag. How many moles of N 2 gas are produced when 167.7 g NaN 3 decomposes?

Number of moles of nitrogen produced from 167.7 g of sodium azide are 3.87.

Explanation:

Given dа ta:

Mass of sodium azide = 167.7 g

Moles of nitrogen gas produced = ?

Solution:

First of all we will write the balance chemical equation of decomposition of sodium azide.

Chemical equation:

2NaN₃ → 3N₂ + 2Na

Number of moles of sodium azide:

Number of moles of sodium azide = mass / molar mass

Number of moles of sodium azide = 167.7 g / 65 g/mol

Number of moles of sodium azide = 2.58 mol

Now we compare the moles of sodium azide with nitrogen from balance chemical equation.

NaN₃ : N₂

2 : 3

2.58 : 3/2*2.58 = 3.87

Number of moles of nitrogen produced from 167.7 g of sodium azide are 3.87.

Mass of nitrogen produced = moles * molar mass

Mass of nitrogen produced = 3.87 mol * 14 g/mol

Mass of nitrogen produced = 54.18 g.