If the gas of an oven were left on for say an hour and then a match was lit, how big would the explosion be? Big enough to blow a wall out or just enough to knock some pictures off the wall?

Are the windows open or closed? Is it a small, enclosed kitchen or an open one like so many are today? My guess is that, in a small kitchen with the windows closed, there will be at least a wall gone.


Planning anything, Justin?

Yeah, I need to get rid of one of my walls.

It's for a story. I could have the windows closed, but making the kitchen smaller would be hard since its a fairly big house. I'll also be doing it in another story which takes place in an apartment with the windows definitely closed. Although if the door is opened after the gas has been going for awhile, would it not work because the door would need to be closed in order for the explosion to occur or does it just need to be closed for the build up of gas to occur?

I think the answer to your last question depends on whether natural gas is heavier or lighter that air. If it is lighter, then an hour's worth of build-up in a closed kitchen would at least blow out a wall.

quote:

Originally posted by DorianGreyed:
I think the answer to your last question depends on whether natural gas is heavier or lighter that air. If it is lighter, then an hour's worth of build-up in a closed kitchen would at least blow out a wall.

It is lighter than air and so dissipates freely in the room.

I recall seeing somrthing in the Press about a build up of gas in a Room of about 10ft square and an electrical circuit arcing(light switch?) ignited it bringing the House down

Bit off topic Look up Ronan Point.
A bad Gas related accident in London 1968 http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/may/16..._2514000/2514277.stm
and this strange bit of trivia turned up

quote:

Out of the 260 residents of the building, four people were immediately killed in the collapse, and seventeen were injured, including a young mother who was stranded on a narrow ledge when the rest of her living room disappeared. Miss Hodge survived, despite being blown across the room by the explosion - as did her gas stove, which she took to her new address after the explosion.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronan_Point

thanks guys.

lets just say there's not much left