Explosives
Explosives
A chemical explosive is a compound or a mixture of compounds susceptible of a rapid chemical reaction causing a quick physical outburst of gases or heat radiation. The first explosives were created by the Chinese in the 11th century. These were mixtures of nitrate salts, sulfur and charcoal, now known as black powder.
Gunpowder which is a low explosive, exhibits deflagration, or rapid burning, rather than detonation, the reaction exhibited by high explosives. While, perhaps counterintuitively, their explosions are started by chemical explosives, nuclear weapons produce far greater force by totally different mechanisms.
Especially in the military, discussions often focus on "explosives and demolitions". The field of demolition, which also applies to civilian construction projects, is the process of destroying things. While one tends to think of blowing up a bridge as a tactical maneuver as part of a countermobility effort, old buildings and roads constantly are being demolished to clear land for new construction. Explosives, especially as used in advanced techniques such as a building implosion, can be more efficient than breaking up structures with tools.
There are, however, many explosive applications that do not involve demolition. When it is absolutely, positively essential that an escape hatch opens, or two stages of a space launch vehicle separate, explosive-driven pyrotechnic components are standard engineering components. Explosives are increasingly used as alternatives to large presses in manufacturing, to apply massive directional force or to generate gas, in addition to the traditional fireworks usage of pyrotechnics.
This article discusses the characteristics of non-nuclear explosions, which need to be understood for many areas such as emergency management. Actually, a number of characteristics are shared between nuclear and non-nuclear explosions, or between niches, such as high-yield airbursts either nuclear or non-nuclear in
A chemical explosive is a compound or a mixture of compounds susceptible of a rapid chemical reaction causing a quick physical outburst of gases or heat radiation. The first explosives were created by the Chinese in the 11th century. These were mixtures of nitrate salts, sulfur and charcoal, now known as black powder.
Gunpowder which is a low explosive, exhibits deflagration, or rapid burning, rather than detonation, the reaction exhibited by high explosives. While, perhaps counterintuitively, their explosions are started by chemical explosives, nuclear weapons produce far greater force by totally different mechanisms.
Especially in the military, discussions often focus on "explosives and demolitions". The field of demolition, which also applies to civilian construction projects, is the process of destroying things. While one tends to think of blowing up a bridge as a tactical maneuver as part of a countermobility effort, old buildings and roads constantly are being demolished to clear land for new construction. Explosives, especially as used in advanced techniques such as a building implosion, can be more efficient than breaking up structures with tools.
There are, however, many explosive applications that do not involve demolition. When it is absolutely, positively essential that an escape hatch opens, or two stages of a space launch vehicle separate, explosive-driven pyrotechnic components are standard engineering components. Explosives are increasingly used as alternatives to large presses in manufacturing, to apply massive directional force or to generate gas, in addition to the traditional fireworks usage of pyrotechnics.
This article discusses the characteristics of non-nuclear explosions, which need to be understood for many areas such as emergency management. Actually, a number of characteristics are shared between nuclear and non-nuclear explosions, or between niches, such as high-yield airbursts either nuclear or non-nuclear in