Posted on 08/07/2020 8:02:14 AM PDT by BenLurkin
I’m still confused about rapid oxidation in a non-confined space being capable of this magnitude explosion?
If ammo, was it the trigger for the nitrate?
Ammonium nitrate has a formula of NH4NO3, i.e. containing hydrogens and oxygens, as well as nitrogen. When the material explodes, the hydrogens and oxygens get together, making water (H2O), which is where the energy comes from, and there is nitrogen and oxygen left over. Some of those combine under the heat of the explosion to make nitrogen dioxide, in addition to nitrous oxide, nitrogen, and oxygen. When sufficient fuel oil is added, the extra oxygen is used up to make carbon dioxide and more water, from the C’s and H’s in the oil, and little to no nitrogen oxides or free oxygen is produced. But without it, there is oxygen remaining, because each molecule of AN has 4 H’s, which requires 2 O’s to turn to water - but a molecule of AN has 3 atoms, not 2, of oxygen. So there’s one atom of oxygen extra - and this for every single molecule of AN.
It is because they make their decisions based on how many votes they can buy with their tax revenues, versus using it to buy important items that you may not need at the moment.
#Pray
I get the chemistry...for the final time, I am curious about how an explosion can occur in a rapidly oxidizing compound outside of a confined space?
I can take a box of match heads and burn them and nothing happens but flame and smoke...if I take match heads, put them in a pipe with a small fuse opening, all hell happens when they oxidize.
As I mentioned before...I have burned old powder and 3-cases of old, weeping Herc. makes a lot of flame and smoke...but no explosion.
It has to do with the sensitivity to shock, and the power of the shockwave. Primary explosives, particularly, and sensitive secondary explosives, are very sensitive to shock and so will propagate a shockwave even in a thin little tube, i.e. det cord. Some, like nitrogen triiodide, is so sensitive that little tiny grains will explode with a snap in open air, i.e. without any confinement whatsoever. However, less-sensitive explosives require confinement - but, which confinement can come from its own inertial mass. There is a minimum diameter of any given explosive that will propagate the shockwave down to the next length, and successfully set it off. Too small, and it goes out (and just scatters the remaining explosive without setting it off. In this warehouse, with 2,750 tons of the stuff, there are literally thousands of tons of material on top of the bottom layer. Is that enough confinement? Yes. Yes, it is.
Thanks...its own inertial mass makes sense
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