Would a stick of TNT on the moon, be as powerful as a stick of?

Question

TNT on the Earth ?

Answer 1

I think all of the above posters are missing something about the shock wave.  It is true that a shock wave as we know it here on Earth would not exist on the moon.  But the detonating explosive generates its own gaseous shell that would expand(think of a mini nova) at a velocity that runs into the miles per second.  I think it would be deadlier than here on Earth because there is no atmosphere to absorb some of the energy and turn it into heat.  I would not want to be any where close to the blast.

The poster named unitedca would surely be killed if he were standing as close to the blast as he thinks is safe.

Answer 2

theres no air on the moon fire needs air to start

Answer 3

no, for the simple fact stated  by the second poster (not the first) the shockwave does indeed need air to travel through... since the moon has no atmosphere, it is part of the vacuum of space, thus no air.

additionally, you wouldn't be able to hear it either.

Answer 4

No - the shock wave generated by the TNT needs air to propagate - if it were exploded above the ground.  Below the moon's surface, it would have pretty much the same effect it does on earth, moving more material because of the smaller G force on the moon.

Answer 5

In any of the situations we actually use TNT for, it would be exactly the same strength on the moon as on Earth.

TNT is not just detonated in the middle of a field.  It is tamped into small spaces and used to cut and shatter objects.

Answer 6

Yes, the chemical energy released would be exactly the same, TNT doesn't require any air or such to work,  so it could be detonated on the Moon just fine.

As above folks have indicated, with no air for the shock wave to propagate through, one could be safely almost on top of the TNT when it exploded with little danger. However, with no air, if the TNT was exploded in the ground or packed in something, the shrapnel from the explosion would travel at dangerous or lethal speeds for huge distances, IE until it hit something. So in some senses TNT would be more dangerous on the Moon than on Earth.

Answer 7

if you stick it into the surface all the way it would be the same only the stuff would fly further i think. might be kinda hard to light with a lighter though. a magnifyng glass should do it