On Nov 18, 10:51*pm, rangerssuck wrote:


So your problem is with the word "detonated?" You'd be OK if they had
used the word "exploded?"

The wiki definition is pretty close. The key words are supersonic
shock wave.
Dan

Detonation is a process of combustion in which a supersonic shock wave
is propagated through a fluid due to an energy release in a reaction
zone. It is the more powerful of the two general classes of
combustion, the other one being deflagration. In a detonation, the
shock compresses the material thus increasing the temperature to the
point of ignition. The ignited material burns behind the shock and
releases energy that supports the shock propagation. This self-
sustained detonation wave is different from a deflagration, which
propagates at a subsonic rate (i.e., slower than the sound speed in
the material itself). Because detonations generate high pressures,
they are usually much more destructive than deflagrations.

Detonations can be produced by explosives, reactive gaseous mixtures,
certain dusts and aerosols.