BEIRUT EXPLOSIONS
Written by- Harleen Bhatia WHAT HAPPENED? This tuesday, Beirut the capital of Lebanon experienced a devastating explosion that has killed 137 people and 5,000 others estimated 300,000 people* have been homeless and dozens are missing Ammonium nitrate was stored in the port which caused the explosion. The explosion released a shock waves causing widespread damage to buildings and shattered windows. It also appears a fire triggered this massive explosion. WHAT IS AMMONIUM NITRATE? Crystal like white solid commonly used as a source of nitrogen for agricultural fertilizer. Experts say that its relatively safe when stored properly. After a long time, it decays. The real problem is that over time it will absorb little bits of moisture and it eventually turns into an enormous rock," Andrea Sella, professor of chemistry at University College London, told the BBC. This makes it more dangerous because if a fire reaches it, the chemical reaction will be much more int...