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Re: energy conversion [was "exploding wire"]

Original poster: Gomez Addams <gomezaddams@xxxxxxxxx>


On Jun 16, 2006, at 9:06 PM, Tesla list wrote:


Original poster: FIFTYGUY@xxxxxxx

    Don't forget you're comparing apples to oranges - almost all
explosives are "oxygenated" fuels. In the case of TNT or NG, the
oxygen is there at the molecular level, taking up valuable weight.
The oxidizer to "burn" bread comes from the air, and isn't factored
into the weight of the bread. Explosives still work in a vacuum,
but you can't burn bread without an oxidizer.


Um, I don't want to take this thread too far off course, but any
oxygen present in high explosives (as opposed to low explosives) is
somewhat irrelevant to the detonation process, since high explosives
do not burn.  As a general rule, they are all unstable nitrogen
compounds which, when detonation is initiated (usually by shock)
decompose much faster than any combustion could take place.

The amount of oxygen present in either TNT or NG is nowhere near
enough to "oxidize" the carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen present in the
compound.  Fortunately, it doesn't have to.  Calling high explosives
"oxygenated fuels" is just plain wrong.

Contrast this with low explosives which almost always _do_ involve
combustion and oxidizers.  Most low explosives (ie; flash powder or
black powder) are indeed "oxygenated fuels", one way or another.


>Of course, 1 lb. of bread takes many hours or days to be "burned
>off" by the body where the pound of dynamite releases all of its
>energy within a few milli/seconds. The destructive potential of
>energy release all depends on how rapidly the potential energy
>is released ;^)

    I once heard that the energy released during the launch of the
old Saturn V rockets was comparable to that released by the atom
bombs dropped on Japan. I worked out the numbers, and surprisingly
it was true. Of course, Cape Canaveral didn't get "nuked" because
the slower release of energy doesn't creat blast effects, and most
of it is released throughout the atmosphere on the way up.


Yep, it's all about the time domain.

.................................................................
"I do not think there is any thrill that can go through the human
heart like that felt by the inventor as he sees some creation of
the brain unfolding to success... Such emotions make a man forget
food, sleep, friends, love, everything."           - Nikola Tesla