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📘 How does a car airbag inflate?

Follow crash sensing, inflator gas, fabric vents, and seat-belt restraint through deployment.

lessons

~10 min

to learn

🔬 Science

subject

Adults

level

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What you’ll learn

The restraint
Crash sensing
The inflator
Deployment
Load sharing
Venting
Occupant detection
Crash direction
After deployment
The complete event

Questions this course answers

What is an air bag designed to do?

Air bags work best with seat belts and provide a cushion during a crash.

What starts the inflator reaction?

The control unit sends a signal to the inflator's igniter when deployment is commanded.

Why do air bags deploy so quickly?

NHTSA describes deployment in a fraction of a second so the bag can cushion the occupant in time.

What do vents in a deployed cushion do?

Venting allows the cushion to yield and absorb energy rather than remain rigid.

What should happen after an air bag deploys?

Air bags are single-use and related components require proper replacement and inspection.

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