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How is an explosion different from a fire?

How is an explosion different from a fire?

It’s important to understand how a fire and an explosion are different. Fire is caused is when a substance rapidly consumes oxygen to produce heat and light. An explosion is an event where energy rapidly expands outward from the source, often creating a damaging shock wave.

What are the characteristics of explosions?

In general, an explosive has four basic characteristics: (1) It is a chemical compound or mixture ignited by heat, shock, impact, friction, or a combination of these conditions; (2) Upon ignition, it decom- poses rapidly in a detonation; (3) There is a rapid release of heat and large quantities of high-pressure gases …

What can cause an explosion without fire?

Gas explosions can occur for a number of reasons including faulty appliances or equipment, a leak, or improper usage of a gas appliance. Gases are chemical substances, that when kept in an unstable environment or are exposed to an ignition source such as heat or fire, have to potential to explode.

Can fire create explosions?

Explosions: Explosions can be the result of combustion, chemical reaction, or mechanical failure. For combustion or fire-related explosions, ARCCA engineers and fire investigators investigate the explosion much like a fire (i.e. explosion cause and explosion origin) using many of the same methodologies.

What are the 3 characteristics of all explosions?

What are three characteristics of all explosions? The three characteristics are a large release of energy, production of quickly expanding gas molecules, and a rapid reaction rate.

What are the different types of explosives and their characteristics?

explosive, any substance or device that can be made to produce a volume of rapidly expanding gas in an extremely brief period. There are three fundamental types: mechanical, nuclear, and chemical. A mechanical explosive is one that depends on a physical reaction, such as overloading a container with compressed air.

What do explosions have in common with burning and what makes them different from burning?

An explosion is a violent release of energy caused by a physical or chemical reaction. It is accompanied by a rapid increase in pressure and usually temperature. The high speed of reaction distinguishes the explosive reaction from an ordinary combustion. Energy, usually heat, is needed to start all the above reactions.

What is the best description of an explosive?

An explosive substance is a solid or liquid substance (or mixture of substances) which is in itself capable by chemical reaction of producing gas at such a temperature and pressure and at such a speed as to cause damage to the surroundings.

How does an explosion occur?

Causes. Explosions can occur in nature due to a large influx of energy. [Explosive volcanic eruptions occur when magma rises from below, it has very dissolved gas in it. The reduction of pressure as the magma rises and causes the gas to bubble out of solution, resulting in a rapid increase in volume.]

Why is TNT an explosive but not sugar?

So, why doesn’t sugar explode or at least light on fire when we eat it? When we eat sugar, the process is different because it happens within cells in our body and is con- trolled by large molecules called enzymes. This reaction occurs at a slower rate and the energy is stored, so no explosion occurs.

What makes an explosion different from an ordinary combustion?

The high speed of reaction distinguishes the explosive reaction from an ordinary combustion. An explosion creates a shock wave. If the shock wave travels at supersonic speed it is referred as detonation. Subsonic shock waves are slower burning processes also known as deflagration. Energy, usually heat, is needed to start all the above reactions.

What are the components of a fire and explosion?

Fires and explosions require three elements in order to occur (the ‘fire triangle’): oxygen, fuel and heat. In the operating theatres, different team members have control over each limb of the fire triangle hence good teamwork is paramount to prevent and restrain a fire.

What causes the release of energy in an explosion?

An explosion is a violent release of energy caused by a physical or chemical reaction. It is accompanied by a rapid increase in pressure and usually temperature. The high speed of reaction distinguishes the explosive reaction from an ordinary combustion. An explosion creates a shock wave.

How does an explosion affect the surrounding area?

If the explosion occurs in a gas, the energy causes the gas to expand rapidly, forcing back the surrounding gas and initiating a pressure wave that moves rapidly outward from the blast source. The pressure wave contains energy, which results in damage to the surroundings.