User:Arnout aka The Emperors Angel/Explosion, or Fireball?

Explosions are now part of our daily lives. We see them in games, comics, movies and TV-Shows. But there is a fundamental flaw in the idea that people have of explosions. I will try and explain what the difference is between a fireball (which is what you usually see on TV), and an explosion.

First, to define an explosion: An explosion is a rapid increase in volume and release of energy in an extreme manner, usually with the generation of high temperatures and the release of gases. An explosion creates a shock wave. If the shock wave is a supersonic detonation, then the source of the blast is called a "high explosive". Subsonic shock waves are created by low explosives through the slower burning process known as deflagration. ^^ from Wikipedia, Explosion.

This definition is flawed, as you might realise. But then again, it’s Wikipedia. Get used to it.

My definition of an explosion is this: An explosion is a chemical reaction, which releases a great amount of energy (heat) and waste (gases). To continue, in the Wikipedia style: The waste creates some kind of shockwave, which causes the damage generally associated with an explosion. ^^ this might be much like Wikipedia, but it is NOT the same. They define an explosion as phenomenon; I define it as a reaction. True, their definition can also be applied to things like volcanoes, but we are not discussing those here. You should ask Rose about volcanoes. (Or maybe you shouldn’t ;-) )

Now, onwards to the difference between an explosion and a fireball. We will begin by looking at what a fireball actually is. A fireball is a somewhat spherical mass of fire, such that is caused by an explosion or a firestorm. *sounds the wrong buzzer on a quiz show* Duh, it a big ball of fire, that is expelled outwards, because there is no oxygen left inside, and because some gasses are produced that propel it outward.

I’ll try to clear it up by using a example. 

That gas canister cannot explode, at least, not the way it is described. It will produce a fireball; which might get sucked back into the container, causing the rest of the container to violently burst, with another fireball. For an explosion (as discussed in detail many times by the Mythbusters, who then proceed to seriously blow stuff up, in general) conditions have to be just right. In this case, the right ratio of oxygen and gas molecules inside the container.

Yes, the reaction of the gas with oxygen in the air produces gasses. And heat. Does that make it an explosion? No. (At least, I think not.)

Explosives CANNOT be controlled. The gas, in this case, could. It obviously went wrong, but still, its usual appliance is controlled. Besides, on the explosif

Furthermore, EXPLOSIONS, are not FIREBAllS. EXPLOSIONS are nothing more than a substance rapidly converting itself into gasses, which generates heat. The conversion part is the explosion (it’s also this part that kills you, or throws you to the ground). The generated heat MIGHT cause a fireball, if sufficient oxygen is available.