Let's say for example someone was in a car accident or whatever, and the car bursted into flames. Why would this happen? How would this happen? Too much heat? In movies you see cars exploding but I think everyone knows they tend to bend the truth a little in movies to make things more interesting but is this actually possible? If so why would it explode? I would assume it has something to do with the oil, gasoline and/or heat. Can someone who knows cars go into specific detail about the parts of the cars that would actually make these things happen?
2006-10-30 19:54:10 · 12 answers · asked by Katie W 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Lol...Oh goodness, Chrissy. That's hilarious. No, no ex-boyfriends in any cars. Cars are too valuable for that. Ha...cracks me up. I'm just generally curious, I was talking about it with a friend and she thinks it's exaggerated and I want to know first who is right, me or her. Second, how i can back up my opinion.
2006-10-30 20:01:02 · update #1
Most cars are designed so that this is an unlikely scenario. The gas is kept at a fairly cool temperature in the shade in a fairly robust tank that shouldn't split open unless you have a really bad crash. The fuel is led to the engine through fairly thin pipes without any vapour pockets and at (usually) low pressure, some gasoline cars have a 'shunt switch' which turns off the pressure pump if it senses a bad bang so that the pump doesn't pour gasoline through torn pipes onto a hot exhaust or engine or arcing battery. If the fuel tank does rupture, if it was only partly full and if it was fairly hot ( those films in the dessert where they drive off a cliff near the end of a long car-chase for example) then you can get quite a lot of hot vapour suddenly released, mixed well with air fairly quickly and it will produce a fairly spectacular fireball if it hits a big fat spark from a torn battery cable end...
The films do like a nice picture though and a big fireball is so much more satisfyingly spectacular (and less emotionally disturbing) than a little crumpled heap of metal and broken glass, stinking of spilt fuel and dying people.
Best of Luck - Mike
2006-10-30 20:24:06 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
In the real world a car will usually burst into flames because of a short circuit in the wiring in the dashboard or the engine compartment. Fortunately, the area around the gas tank does not have much wiring.
On the other hand, the gas tank of a car, if it is half full or less, is a good example of a fuel-air bomb. It lacks only a detonator. Again, fortunately, the tank is usually well sealed, and, with the exception of the infamous Pinto, protected from rupture in all but the most serious of accidents. Detonation can only occur when the fuel-air mixture comes into contact with a hot enough spark or flame. Leaks can be hazardous because gasoline is extremely volatile, and flame propagaton above gasoline is on the order of 10 times as fast as what you see in the movies.
2006-10-30 21:34:48 · answer #2 · answered by Helmut 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Car fires are either electrical or involve leaking of a flammable liquid, usually gasoline. The most likely spot is the fuel hose near the injector rail. I have had an engine fire from a leaky fuel injector but I could smell gasoline well before the fire. (Yes - dumb of me to drive it that way but that's another story.) I have to agree it sounds like your family is being targeted by an arsonist. If somebody managed to get your hood open it would be a simple job to puncture the fuel line but getting it to catch fire would require a source of ignition, and a fire investigator should see the remains of that.
2016-05-22 15:39:46 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
whose car a u trying to set on fire???
this is possile as the gasoline is a highly flammable gas.. so its quite true when two car bumed together they explode because the scratch between the car causes sparks and the sparks landed at the nearby oil tank thus it exploded
2006-10-30 19:59:09 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Combustion requires air,fuel,and an ignition source.There are a multitude of fuels in an auto.All you need is a break in one of the reservoirs containing them and a hot motor or spark.Most insurance companies are very familiar with causes,perhaps you could inquire with yours.
2006-10-30 19:57:15 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lighting a car on fire is not hard. It has a tank full of highly flamable gas and metal and electrical things designed to start fires.
2006-10-30 19:55:49 · answer #6 · answered by evilive 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Only if you lived in Detroit in the sixty's. If you live in Harlem in the seventies. Or Watts in the Ninetys. Or if you owe a Pinto.
2006-10-30 20:05:29 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dont ever buy an american car.In every film car crash they explode
2006-10-30 20:01:23 · answer #8 · answered by Pauline 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
why? are you trying to conduct a science experiment with your future ex-boyfriend in the car? lol
2006-10-30 19:56:13 · answer #9 · answered by Chrissy 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It's called a spark...
2006-10-30 19:59:35 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋