Everything about Explosion totally explained
An
explosion is a sudden increase in
volume and release of
energy in an extreme manner, usually with the generation of high
temperatures and the release of
gases. An explosion creates a
shock wave.
Types of explosives
Natural
Explosions don't commonly occur in nature. Below Earth, most natural explosions arise from
volcanic processes of various sorts. Explosive volcanic eruptions occur when
magma rising from below has much dissolved gas in it; the reduction of
pressure as the magma rises causes the gas to bubble out of solution, resulting in a rapid increase in volume. Explosions also occur as a result of
impact events. On other planets,
volcanoes and impacts cause explosions with various frequency.
Chemical
The most common artificial
explosives are
chemical explosives, usually involving a rapid and violent
oxidation reaction that produces large amounts of hot gas.
Gunpowder was the first explosive to be discovered and put to use. Other notable early developments in chemical explosive technology were
Frederick Augustus Abel's development of
nitrocellulose in
1865 and
Alfred Nobel's invention of
dynamite in
1866.
Nuclear
A nuclear weapon is a type of explosive weapon that derives its destructive force from the nuclear reaction of fission or from a combination of fission and fusion. As a result, even a nuclear weapon with a small yield is significantly more powerful than the largest conventional explosives available, with a single weapon capable of destroying an entire city.
Electrical
A high current electrical fault can create an
electrical explosion by forming a high energy
electrical arc which rapidly vaporizes metal and insulation material. Also, excessive
magnetic pressure within an ultra-strong
electromagnet can cause a
magnetic explosion.
Vapour
Boiling liquid expanding vapour explosions are a type of explosion that can occur when a vessel containing a pressurized liquid is ruptured, causing a rapid increase in volume as the liquid evaporates.
Astronomical
Solar flares are an example of explosion common on the
Sun, and presumably on most other
stars as well. The energy source for solar flare activity comes from the tangling of
magnetic field lines resulting from the rotation of the Sun's conductive
plasma.
Mechanical
Strictly a physical process, as opposed to chemical or nuclear, eg, a the bursting of a sealed or partially-sealed container under internal pressure is often referred to as a 'mechanical explosion'. Examples include an overheated boiler or a simple tin can of beans tossed into a fire. A
BLEVE (see above) is one type of mechanical explosion, but depending on the contents of the container, the effects can be dramatically more serious - consider a propane tank in the midst of a fire. In such a case, to the limited effects of the simple mechanical explosion when the tank fails are added the chemical explosion resulting from the released (initially liquid and then almost instanteaously gaseous) propane in the presence of an ignition source. For this reason, emergency workers often differentiate between the two events.
Among the largest known explosions in the universe are
supernovae, which result from stars exploding, and
gamma ray bursts, whose nature is still in some dispute.
Notable explosions
Chemical explosions
Nuclear testing
Trinity test
Castle Bravo
Tsar Bomba
Use in war
Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Exploding volcanoes
Santorini
Krakatoa
Mount St. Helens
Mount Tambora
Mount Pinatubo
Yellowstone CalderaFurther Information
Get more info on 'Explosion'.
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