| From: | GMPax@***.com GMPax@***.com |
|---|---|
| Subject: | People from another world |
| Date: | Fri, 19 Mar 1999 00:56:32 EST |
aeriochrome@****.com writes:
> Sorry Gurth, that statement about the explosives having enough oxygen
> atoms in their molecules to combust makes me want to scream. Things don't
> burn just because they contain oxygen in their molecules, how often do
> you see water burning? (it is 33% oxygen after all). I don't know the
> chemistry behind how a gun fires, and I've been deleting most of this
> thread so I don't know if this has been mentioned, but alot of explosives
> are detonated by either shock or electrical current. I've heard stories
> about soldiers burning C-4, and as long as they don't compress the
> burning compound the material is stable, it just burns nicely.
Absolutely correct. It requires flame AND pressure to cause C-$ to go BOOM.
> If a
> bullet fires because the reaction is caused by impact (the hammer
> striking the firing pin), then it should work in a vacuum.
No, I am afraid to say, it just doesn't work that way. :-)
> The muzzle
> flash could very well just be a side effect of the gasses generated by
> the detonation <*>combusting<*>
And that's why: for an explosive to work, especially the sorts involved in
firearms, there must be _combustion_ ... which be definition means, the
addition of free oxygen to the combusting agent.
> because of the heat generated by the
> detonation. If someone out there knows better feel free to correct me (as
> if without that comment you wouldn't :) ). I'm a chemist by training, but
> I don't know a whole lot about explosives (at least that I'm willing to
> admit over a mailing list).
> Aeriochrome
OK, you are a chemist by training ... EXCELLENT.
Can you burn anything in a total vacuum, without the presence of oxygen in any
form?
No. :-)
Can you burn an OXIDE without the addition of MORE oxygen?
No. :-)
SO ... without some means of delivering oxygen to the propellant, a firearm
could not function in a vacuum any better than it could underwater.
MIND you; the right propellant, mixed liberally with a nice oxygen-producing
compound (some sort of oxide that can be fairly easily induced to RELEASE it's
oxygen atoms is what I'm thinking of), would work without air tanks. But
either the bullet (or other projectile) has less mass, lower velocity, or a
larger "casing" ... which would tend to preclude merely loading "space
bullets" into your predator, without some _significant_ loss in power. Say,
from 9M to 9L or to 5M. Either one (depending on which is reduced: bullet
mass or bullet velocity).
Remember, folks, it takes OXYGEN, which is _not_ already part of the chemical,
to make said chemical combust. And barring nuclear devices, there is no
explosive that does not require comdustion, to the best of my (admittedly
layman's) knowledge.
Sean
GM Pax
