Random_Nitro_Crate #1
April 7, 2025, 5:00 pm
Hypothetically speaking:
what kind of (highly flameable gas) would you need to blow up a bolder that has said gas contained in it, and how much of it if we assume the rock is close to the surface and about as thick as a doorframe.
Liked by Shepado and
Comments
You must be logged in to comment.
BigFatBear
April 9, 2025, 9:15 am
Hypothetically speaking:
This is really detailed for a hypothetically speaking....
ANYWAYS
Alright, let's break this down.
Scenario:
You've got a rock (boulder) roughly the thickness of a doorframe (so ~4–6 inches / 10–15 cm).
It contains a highly flammable gas.
The rock is close to the surface (so minimal overburden, easier to breach).
You want to "blow it up" – i.e., cause it to rupture or explode via ignition of the gas.
1. What kind of flammable gas?
Some highly flammable gases that could be trapped in rock or used in such a context:
Hydrogen – very light, extremely flammable, ignites easily with a wide explosive range in air.
Methane – common in geology (like natural gas pockets), flammable, explosive when mixed with air.
Acetylene – very explosive, even unstable under pressure.
Propane – common fuel gas, flammable, heavier than air.
Out of these, hydrogen or methane would be most realistic in a natural geologic setting.
2. How much gas would it take to cause an explosion?
Let’s do a rough estimate based on stoichiometric combustion – that's the ideal mix of gas and air that creates maximum explosive potential.
Example: Methane (CH₄)
Explosive range in air: 5% to 15%.
Stoichiometric mix: ~9.5% methane in air.
So, if the rock contains a sealed pocket of methane-air mixture at the right ratio, and you ignite it (via spark, heat, etc.), boom – you get an internal pressure surge.
To rupture or fragment a rock that's ~15 cm thick, you’d probably need:
A volume of gas around the size of a basketball (5–10 liters) or more, depending on pressure and containment.
At atmospheric pressure, you’d need more volume or a more confined space.
At higher pressures (like gas stored in a pressurized cavity), even a smaller amount (a few liters) could be enough.
3. What actually causes the explosion?
The explosion wouldn’t just be from the gas itself – it would be from:
Ignition of the gas-air mixture.
Rapid expansion of hot gases.
Pressure spike inside the rock, exceeding its structural strength.
That shatters or cracks the boulder.
TL;DR:
Use methane or hydrogen for best effect.
You’d need a few to tens of liters of gas, depending on containment and pressure.
If it’s in a sealed pocket and ignited properly, that’s enough to blow apart a boulder-sized rock close to the surface.
Shepado #1
April 8, 2025, 10:10 am
if countained hydrogen