But what exactly IS an explosion? As it turns out, there are actually multiple ways that explosions occur, from chemical breakdown, to nuclear fission, to gravitational collapse, many things cause instabilities, and have the potential to release a large amount of their stored energies.
Very looseley defined, an explosion is some release of energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation, a shock wave, and light, in a comparatively small period of time. Usually explosions are associated with bombs, or the common Trinitrotoluene (known as TNT) in mining, or perhaps the unthinkably powerful nuclear explosion, such as the bombs used in World War 2, and further nuclear testing beyond.
The common theme here is that a large amount of energy is released, and a more inquisitive mind, might begin to ask, "If all this energy is being released, how much is it actually, and how can I relate it to the real applications?" The answer becomes much simpler when we realize that much study has been done on the energy releases of explosions all the way from TNT to supernovas, and it makes for some easy math, and some general comparisons to gain an understanding of how energy is used in an explosions, and what that can mean.
Following, we'll do some discussion about various commonly known explosions, how they work, and what energy is released, and we'll come back to how to relate it to more familiar energy sources at the conclusion of it all. But for now, don your helmets, and get in your bunkers, we're going to look at things that go boom.
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/47480000/jpg/_47480955_explosion1_copy.jpg
(An explosion with the shock-wave clearly visible in the air)