Can light generate explosions ?

[MyNameIsJeff]

Sorry for the ignorant question, as you can see science is not really my strong side.
I wanted to know if enough concetration of light could cause an explosion ?

There's a fiction character that has light powers, he's practicaly light, the only problem is, that despite him claiming to be true light, he can generate explosions by shooting beams of light -

http://kissmanga.com/Manga/One-Piece/Chapter-508?id=250947#10

http://kissmanga.com/Manga/One-Piece/Chapter-507?id=250946#16

Yeah, I know you're probably asking yourself why the hell does it even matter, it's fiction...But go figure, some people just don't understand the definiton of the word "fiction".

[swansont]

Concentrated light can cause things to explode, but the light itself is not exploding. Light carries energy, so if this energy gets deposited it will heat the target up, and heating things up rapidly can cause explosions. It can be something that would explode if you exposed it to fire, or something that contains water which is rapidly flashing to steam, for example.

[MyNameIsJeff]

Concentrated light can cause things to explode, but the light itself is not exploding. Light carries energy, so if this energy gets deposited it will heat the target up, and heating things up rapidly can cause explosions. It can be something that would explode if you exposed it to fire, or something that contains water which is rapidly flashing to steam, for example.

So if I understand it correctly if an object absorbs a great amount of heat, it will explode ? So generally, it is possible.

Thank you !

[swansont]

So if I understand it correctly if an object absorbs a great amount of heat, it will explode ? So generally, it is possible.

Thank you !

 

Some objects will. Not all — some things might just melt.

[DevilSolution]

You getting yourself a laser pen? should be in fashion with the release of star wars.

[pavelcherepan]

If we take this definition for explosion:

 

 

 

An explosion is a rapid increase in volume and release of energy in an extreme manner

 

And knowing that radiation (including light) can exert pressure on matter (see Radiation pressure article) you can potentially create an explosive device that will generate and extremely high intensity radiation that would push whatever matter surrounds it away like the normal explosion would.

[TheGeckomancer]

The amount of light concentrated to small spaces would be insane. Explosions primarily work on the idea of gas atoms traveling at very high speeds as they massively expand, breaking apart nearby solid matter in their quest to find space. Generally, explosions need massive (scientific not literal term) particles to carry force and impart it to other nearby objects.

[swansont]

The amount of light concentrated to small spaces would be insane. Explosions primarily work on the idea of gas atoms traveling at very high speeds as they massively expand, breaking apart nearby solid matter in their quest to find space. Generally, explosions need massive (scientific not literal term) particles to carry force and impart it to other nearby objects.

 

Photons have momentum and thus can exert a force. The phenomenon is sometimes called radiation pressure. You can use it to confine and cool atoms, or make solar sails work.

 

If you deposited enough energy into a volume filled with water and were able to make it flash to steam, it would explode. Just heating up a solid and making the air around it expand could be an explosion, of it happened rapidly enough, but a phase change to gas is going to be more violent (with gases taking up more volume) If you deposited enough energy onto an explosive material, it would heat up and explode.

[TheGeckomancer]

 

Photons have momentum and thus can exert a force. The phenomenon is sometimes called radiation pressure. You can use it to confine and cool atoms, or make solar sails work.

 

If you deposited enough energy into a volume filled with water and were able to make it flash to steam, it would explode. Just heating up a solid and making the air around it expand could be an explosion, of it happened rapidly enough, but a phase change to gas is going to be more violent (with gases taking up more volume) If you deposited enough energy onto an explosive material, it would heat up and explode.

 

 

Yes but these are both examples of matter absorbing the energy of the light and reacting violently. Not LIGHT ITSELF EXPLODING. I am not saying it's not possible, but I imagine any device that does that would have to be a basically omnidirectional laser, which is like I said an insane amount of energy.

[swansont]

 

 

Yes but these are both examples of matter absorbing the energy of the light and reacting violently. Not LIGHT ITSELF EXPLODING. I am not saying it's not possible, but I imagine any device that does that would have to be a basically omnidirectional laser, which is like I said an insane amount of energy.

 

Nobody had suggested that the light itself would explode.

[TheGeckomancer]

 

Nobody had suggested that the light itself would explode.

 

 

The OP was. His question was "I wanted to know if enough concetration of light could cause an explosion ?"

 

The answer is no. Or an INSANE amount of light.

[swansont]

 

 

The OP was. His question was "I wanted to know if enough concetration of light could cause an explosion ?"

 

The answer is no. Or an INSANE amount of light.

 

Cause an explosion, not be an explosion. (Besides, I clarified that light itself would not explode in the first response)