Explosion

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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 (e.g. Such as the rapid burning proccess of fuel in a engine to create the cylinder movement). An explosion creates a shock wave.

Types of explosives

Natural

Explosions do not 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 new order of explosive, the nuclear bomb, was invented in 1945 by Allied scientists. In 1952, the US military developed the first fusion bomb.

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.

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

Nanaimo mine explosion 1887
Halifax Explosion 1917
Battle of Messines 1917
Oppau explosion, Ludwigshafen, Germany 1921
Bombay Blasts 1944
Port Chicago disaster 1944
RAF Fauld explosion 1944
Texas City Disaster 1947
Nedelin catastrophe 1960
Soviet N1 rocket explosion 1969
Flixborough disaster 1974
PEPCON disaster, Henderson, Nevada 1988
Ryongchon disaster 2004
Hertfordshire Oil Storage Terminal 2005

Nuclear testing

Use in war

Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki