Wednesday, December 23, 2009

When an object full of fuel explodes, does all the fuel burn in the explosion?

Whether or not all of the fuel explodes depends on how much fuel (gasoline or ??) was in what type of container, the mixture of oxygen to fuel. Fumes of gasoline are more explosive than the gasoline itself, which is why an empty gas can is more dangerous than a full one. With the right oxygen to fuel ratio, gasoline is one of the most volatile substances there is. So if the explosion was caused mainly by fumes, I think the amount of fumes that actually combusted would be very close to 100%, but if it was an explosion with more liquid fuel, all of the fuel wouldn't ';explode'; immediately, though it would eventually burn away. I learned from my 8th grade science teacher that mixed properly, 1 gallon of gasoline has enough power upon exploding that it could lift the Empire State Building 1 foot off the ground.When an object full of fuel explodes, does all the fuel burn in the explosion?
No, simply because some of the fuel is evaporated before it can be ignited.When an object full of fuel explodes, does all the fuel burn in the explosion?
No, not all. Otherwise, there would not be any fire after the explosion.

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