explodes

An explosion is a rapid release of energy, resulting in a high-pressure gas expansion, often accompanied by a shock wave, intense heat, light, and sound. Explosions can be chemical, physical, or nuclear, but all share the sudden release of energy and the rapid formation of gases that expands outward. The term explodes is the third-person singular present tense of the verb explode and is commonly used to describe a rapid release of energy in a system.

In chemical explosions, energy is released by rapid oxidation or other rapid reactions. The process can proceed as detonation, where a shock wave travels faster than the speed of sound in the material, or as deflagration, where the reaction front moves subsonically. Confinement, the quantity of energy, and the rate of energy release determine the severity of the blast.

The effects include a blast wave producing overpressure and dynamic pressure, thermal radiation, and fragmentation of surrounding materials. The damage scales with distance and with the energy released. The yields of explosions are often described relative to a TNT equivalent to compare their strength.

Explosions have short- and long-term impacts on people, structures, and environments. They are used deliberately in mining, construction, and demolition, but accidental explosions pose significant safety hazards. Regulations, safety standards, and protective designs aim to prevent unintended detonations and to mitigate consequences.

See also: blast wave, detonation, deflagration, TNT, explosion safety.

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