Why Do Things Explode?

Why do some things explode and some things only burn? Why do some things do neither? As it turns out, the answer has multiple parts. The first has to do with stored, or potential, energy which can be converted to other forms of energy like kinetic energy, light, heat and sound. To release this energy, chemicals have to be supplied with a certain amount of activation energy. This activation energy determines the sensitivity of the compound. The final element has to do with the speed at which the reaction takes place. Some reactions are limited by outside components, so the stored energy can only be released very slowly, leading to a burn. However, other compounds can release their energy very fast, leading to a more explosive result.