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Physics
Classical Physics
Electromagnetism
Can lasers really cause explosions? Let's use a silly hypothetical to find out!
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[QUOTE="DaveE, post: 6848321, member: 644223"] OK, then yes. I've seen (OK, heard) it. A real high power ultrafast laser, when focused, has enough power density to break down air molecules and create a "snap" sound, which of course is the resulting shock wave hitting your eardrum. Granted it's smaller than you had in mind, but it's real. It's actually a fairly common issue in high power pulsed lasers. Note that it has more to do with spatial and temporal concentration of the laser energy than just "petatons of TNT" energy levels. You can easily* do it with 1 watt if you can make a good laser. *edit: OK, maybe it's not THAT easy to make, but you can buy those lasers off the shelf. [/QUOTE]
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Can lasers really cause explosions? Let's use a silly hypothetical to find out!
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