What is Explosion: Definition and 274 Discussions

An explosion is a rapid expansion in volume associated with an extremely vigorous outward release of energy, usually with the generation of high temperatures and release of high-pressure gases. Supersonic explosions created by high explosives are known as detonations and travel via shock waves. Subsonic explosions are created by low explosives through a slower combustion process known as deflagration.

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  1. Math Is Hard

    BP Amoco Refinery Explosion: Dad Safe

    There was a huge explosion this afternoon at the BP Amoco refinery where my dad works. Thank heavens he is OK. It looks pretty bad: http://www.click2houston.com/news/4311459/detail.html
  2. Astronuc

    Brightest Explosion Ever Observed

    Scientists have detected a flash of light from across the Galaxy so powerful that it bounced off the Moon and lit up the Earth's upper atmosphere. This "giant flare" was the http://www.everything-science.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=111&Itemid=2 ever detected from beyond the...
  3. R

    Nuclear Explosion: What are the Lines Behind the Mushroom Cloud?

    On some pictures of nuclear explosions there are lines that usually run straight up from the ground. One of the coolest pictures I've seen had these trails originating from each side of the explosion and crossing each other behind the mushroom cloud. So what are these things? How long do they...
  4. Chronos

    The largest explosion ever seen in space

    Hot off the press: http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/big_explosion_050105.html
  5. P

    Calculating Masses from Disc Explosion Velocities

    Two frictionless discs on air table, initially at rest, are driven apart by an explosion with velocities of 9.0m/s and 5.0m/s what is ratio of masses? how do i get masses if i don't know Momentum ? +__+
  6. E

    Solving for Velocity in a Three-Piece Explosion

    A firecracker in a coconut blows the coconut into three pieces. Two pieces of equal mass fly off south and west, perpendicular to each other, at 20 m/s. The third piece has twice the mass as the other two.What is the speed of the third piece? really boggled, no masses are given? i thought...
  7. wasteofo2

    So, talk to me about the Cambrian Explosion por favor.

    So, talk to me about the "Cambrian Explosion" por favor. Does anyone have a link to any interesting/informative essays, or feel like just typing some stuff about the Cambrian explosion? I've heard all sorts of fun stuff about it, like 40 or so phyla evolved in like 5 million years, the majority...
  8. B

    Conservation of Momentum in a Spaceship Explosion

    Hi all, I have become frusturated at a conservation of momentum problem. A space ship(ss) with a mass of 2.0*10^6 [kg] is crusing at a speed of 5.0*10^6 [m/s], when it blows up. One section(s1), with mass 5.0*10^5 [kg] is blown straight backwards at a speed of 2.0*10^6 [m/s]. The second...
  9. S

    Explosion Question did I do this correctly?

    Hey all... I got an answer to this, but I'm not sure if I did it correctly. q: A body of mass 8.0kg is traveling at 2.0 m/s under the influence of no external agency. At a certain instant an internal explosion occurs, splitting the body into two chunks of 4.0 kg mass each; 16 joules of...
  10. P

    Energy released in explosion

    Hi everyone, I've been trying to do this question here but I'm stuck on the last part: A 23.0 kg body is moving with a speed of 25.0 m/s in the direction of the positive x-axis when, owing to an internal explosion, it breaks into three parts. One part, which has a mass of 5.50 kg, moves away...
  11. N

    XX: Create a Better Explosion in a Controlled Environment

    On a project to be presented, I am on the need to find what would create a better explosion between black powder, propane gas, gasoline, or else on a controlled environment (such as a 1/2 inch-thick steel chamber) to propel a metal spud into the air at high speeds.. can somebody help? 'numberPI
  12. P

    An explosion breaks an object into two pieces

    Can someone help me with this...what is the answer to this and how do i get it? :eek: An explosion breaks an object into two pieces, one of which has 1.5 times the mass of the other. If 7800 J were released in the explosion, how much kinetic energy did each piece acquire?
  13. C

    Conservation of Linear Momentum in an Explosion of Particles

    A suspicious package is sliding on a frictionless surface when it explodes into three pieces of equal masses and with the velocities: (1) 7.0 m/s, north; (2) 4.0 m/s 30 degrees south of west; (3) 4.0 m/s 30 degrees south of east. (a)What is the velocity(both magnitude & direction) of the...
  14. T

    Bomb Explosion in Space: What Would Happen?

    I am wondering, if a bomb exploded in the "vacuum" of space, without an atmosphere to cause a pressure wave, what would be the destructive area of the bomb, or would there be any?
  15. Monique

    Have you ever had an explosion in your microwave?

    Did any experience that before? I was in the lab, luckily, microwaving 100 ml of water in an *open, no lid* 500 ml erlenmeyer flask. All of a sudden there was this big *boom* in the microwave like an explosion, when I open it.. water is dripping from the sides and about 25 ml were missing I...
  16. Ivan Seeking

    Whale of an explosion in Taiwan

    http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/taiwan_whale_dc So KLscilevothma, were you hit by any flying whale parts?
  17. T

    Tunguska Explosion: Nuclear Event or Asteroid?

    Was this a real Nuclear event or has it been determined factually yet? If it was, would this necessarily mean it had to come from a Nuclear device or system of some sort? If so, by whom? Could it have been from a "Tesla" experiment? I have heard that it may have been caused by an Asteroid...
  18. Nim

    What is the role of wavefront in high explosives?

    How slow can an explosion possibly be?
  19. wasteofo2

    Forest - 1927Unraveling the Mystery of the Tunguska Explosion

    Any thoughts on what this could have been? Bassically in 1908 there was this massive explosion in the Tunguska region of Russia. the blast had approx a 20 mile radius, happened in the woods and the trees are all knocked over away from a central point. When investigated, there wasn't any...
  20. M

    Conservation of Momentum and Energy in an explosion

    We are doing Cons. of Momentum in my intro to physics class.. and I am stuck on this problem: An explosion breaks an object into two pieces, one of which has 1.58 times the mass of the other. If 7370 J were released in the explosion, how much kinetic energy did the heavier piece acquire...
  21. S

    Population Explosion: 18B+ People - Will Society Cope?

    there is a definite risk that in the following century human population may increase to above 18 billion (it is 10 billion right now, isn't it?) with maximum increase in the third world and slight decrease in first world. do you think human society can deal with such population demographics...
  22. K

    Abstract explosion modelling - how to?

    I want to model an extremely simplified explosion in a little program I have. All I want to do is accurately model the movement of a single object affected by this explosion in a void. Here's how I'm thinking about things so far. I'd appreciate it if people could tell me whether I'm on the...
  23. Ivan Seeking

    Explosion in the sky caused by lightning

    "In addition to the usual fare that comes with a thunderstorm, many on the city’s Northeast Side witnessed an unusual dark circle in the sky, which turned out to be a ring of smoke that a weather official said emanated from an 'explosion caused by lightning'"...
  24. Rockazella

    What's Really Involved in an Explosion?

    What creates an explosion? I used to think it had to do with large amounts of heat energy being released very quickly. The heat would then cause air to expand very rapidly and thus you get your explosion and shock wave. This explanation would mean that explosions couldn't really exist in...
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