Explosion

An explosion is a rapid release of energy that creates high-temperature, high-pressure gases, a shock wave, and often a bright flash. The event is characterized by its speed and the resulting blast effect on surrounding matter.

Explosions arise mainly through detonation or deflagration. Detonation propagates a shock front faster than the speed of sound, creating a high-pressure blast wave. Deflagration is a subsonic chemical burn that expands gases and may still produce significant pressure when confined or rapidly expanding.

Energy sources include chemical explosives, such as conventional charges; accidental gas-air or dust explosions; and, in some contexts, nuclear reactions or sudden phase changes in confined fluids or steam.

Effects vary with yield, confinement, and surrounding structures. Common consequences are blast overpressure, thermal radiation, fragmentation, and ground or structural damage. The severity is often expressed in TNT equivalent or scaled distances to estimate impact.

Safety and mitigation focus on hazard assessment, proper storage and handling of fuels and oxidizers, ventilation, blast-resistant design, exclusion zones, and emergency response planning. Research aims to understand initiation, propagation, and damage mechanisms to reduce risk in industrial, urban, and mining environments.