eldhastighet

Eldhastighet is a Swedish term that literally translates to fire speed. In general use it denotes how quickly a fire-related process unfolds. In technical and design contexts the term appears with two dominant meanings: the rate at which a firearm discharges rounds and, in fire science, the speed at which a fire grows or a flame front advances under specified conditions.

In fire safety and combustion research, eldhastighet is commonly related to the rate of heat release and flame propagation. The spread of a fire depends on fuel properties, heat transfer, ventilation, and geometry. Researchers use metrics such as heat release rate, flame speed, and time to flashover to assess hazards and inform building design and suppression strategies.

In firearms and related media, eldhastighet describes rate of fire (ROF)—the number of rounds the weapon can fire per unit time. It is influenced by the operating mechanism (semi-automatic, automatic), the cycling time of the action, and ammunition. Descriptions emphasize the trade-offs between high rate of fire, accuracy, and control, rather than performance in isolation.

In gaming, fiction, and journalism, eldhastighet serves as a practical shorthand for comparing weapons and systems. It is typically expressed in rounds per minute or similar units and is often adjusted by design to balance power, recoil, and reliability.