Dynamite

The dynamite being used was most likely made of nitroglycerin. The dynamite was used until 3-6in were left to carve with hand tools or drills. (NPS). Now the physics behind dynamite in very interesting. The dynamite is stored as potential energy once placed in the granite. The dynamite may seem to exert a force outward but that is really air pressure. Once the dynamite explodes from a percussion force (then breaking of weak bonds to releasing the raw atom) the energy is then converted to thermal, kinetic, and sound energy. (2). Also lets do the math. Dynamite was used to sculpt 90% of the 450,000 tons of granite. That is 405,000 tons were removed by dynamite itself. Also the granite has a force which resists the explosion until it break.The strength of granite can be found through Mohr - Coulomb's equation.

                         
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