Gasoline, at least in the amounts found in the average civilian vehicle, isn’t necessarily as forcefully explosive as movies and popular culture would have one believe. It’ll blow up under the right conditions certainly. But not usually with the amount of force necessary to make it externally obvious the vehicle exploded.
Gas is one of those things that tends to flare up. Versus violently explode. And typically the total explosive failure of a Gas Tank, ergo a violent explosion, is rare. Usually there’s a weak spot like a Gas Cap that will give into pressure build up first. Once that pops. There’s a space for fumes to vent. Fumes can vent=No explosion.
And as far as I was aware. Most Modern vehicle Gas Tanks are typically engineered with just such an eventuality in mind. IE there’s usually a part on the Tank, like the Gas Cap, that will deliberately fail in order for fumes to vent and prevent such an explosion if certain conditions are meant. Like the vehicle being on fire.
Though I fully admit I maybe wrong. The above was learned during a conversation with a chemistry teacher about why some exploding vehicles in some movies are unrealistic. Not via personal knowledge or experience.
Plus your assuming that the tanks remained sealed long enough to allow the pressure to build up for the dramatic explosion. If they melted and or were otherwise breached. The fumes could vent which wouldn’t lead to an explosion.
Movie car gas tank explosions are done with explosives and petrol in the car.
Microwave DEW could heat the cars and not the trees or plastic playground equipment.
Gasoline, at least in the amounts found in the average civilian vehicle, isn’t necessarily as forcefully explosive as movies and popular culture would have one believe. It’ll blow up under the right conditions certainly. But not usually with the amount of force necessary to make it externally obvious the vehicle exploded.
Gas is one of those things that tends to flare up. Versus violently explode. And typically the total explosive failure of a Gas Tank, ergo a violent explosion, is rare. Usually there’s a weak spot like a Gas Cap that will give into pressure build up first. Once that pops. There’s a space for fumes to vent. Fumes can vent=No explosion.
And as far as I was aware. Most Modern vehicle Gas Tanks are typically engineered with just such an eventuality in mind. IE there’s usually a part on the Tank, like the Gas Cap, that will deliberately fail in order for fumes to vent and prevent such an explosion if certain conditions are meant. Like the vehicle being on fire.
Though I fully admit I maybe wrong. The above was learned during a conversation with a chemistry teacher about why some exploding vehicles in some movies are unrealistic. Not via personal knowledge or experience.
Plus your assuming that the tanks remained sealed long enough to allow the pressure to build up for the dramatic explosion. If they melted and or were otherwise breached. The fumes could vent which wouldn’t lead to an explosion.
Movie car gas tank explosions are done with explosives and petrol in the car. Microwave DEW could heat the cars and not the trees or plastic playground equipment.