Detonation is a violent release of pressure causing an explosion, often caused by chemical reactions or extreme heat. It can cause smoke explosions, shrapnel, and shock waves that can damage buildings and harm health, including temporary or permanent deafness, muscle and bone damage, lung injuries, and severe skin burns.
Detonation is the event in which pressure is violently released from a contained object, causing an explosion. The term is often used in topics related to bombs, engine failures, and reactive chemicals. Detonation is very similar, if not identical, to an explosion.
Often, a chemical reaction is what sets off a detonation. In turn, chemical reactions occur when something triggers or upsets the chemical. A common cause is impact, for example with percussion grenades. This type of explosive detonates soon after striking an object with a strong force, causing the firing pin to pierce the detonator which contains reactive chemicals.
In engines, extreme heat is a common cause of detonations. When heat is applied to the combustion chamber, the fuel can automatically ignite and produce several flames. These flames collide with each other, causing a detonation. If you hear a knocking or “ping” sound, it means an engine knock has just occurred.
Many occurrences of detonations are accompanied by a smoke explosion or shrapnel flying through the air; they can even cause nearby bodies of water to ripple. These disturbances are called shock waves. The energy that immediately arises comes in the form of clouds and fires which are further projected upwards or sideways. This can be clearly demonstrated in large nuclear explosions, where the streams of smoke create a mushroom shape as the bottom gets smaller to push the top of the smoke up. Sometimes, a detonation can be so powerful that a cloud ring forms around the mushroom itself.
A nuclear detonation will most likely emit significant amounts of radiation. The radiation can collide with small objects and vaporize them, such as rocks or earth. With enough force, it can even damage or destroy buildings.
In addition to the effects seen in the surrounding area, shock waves from a detonation can also cause health problems. An example is temporary deafness. The powerful blast can traumatize the eardrums if a person was too close to the blast and was not wearing any ear protection. Particularly loud bangs can even permanently damage your eardrums.
Shockwaves can also be powerful enough to ripple through the body and cause damage to muscles and bones. The air inhaled from smoke can injure the lungs, resulting in internal bleeding or blockage in the lungs. The heat from the radiation can also cause severe skin burns if a person is near the blast.
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