Propagation of a combustion zone at a velocity less than the speed of sound in the unreacted medium is called?

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Multiple Choice

Propagation of a combustion zone at a velocity less than the speed of sound in the unreacted medium is called?

Explanation:
Deflagration is a combustion process where the flame front moves through the unreacted mixture at subsonic speeds, slower than the local speed of sound. The front advances mainly by heat transfer and diffusion of reactive species, rather than by a shock wave. This subsonic, heat-flux–driven propagation is what defines deflagration. In contrast, detonation involves a supersonic combustion wave accompanied by a strong shock in the unreacted medium, and explosion is a general term that doesn’t specify the propagation mode. So the description given—propagation at a velocity less than the speed of sound—best matches deflagration.

Deflagration is a combustion process where the flame front moves through the unreacted mixture at subsonic speeds, slower than the local speed of sound. The front advances mainly by heat transfer and diffusion of reactive species, rather than by a shock wave. This subsonic, heat-flux–driven propagation is what defines deflagration. In contrast, detonation involves a supersonic combustion wave accompanied by a strong shock in the unreacted medium, and explosion is a general term that doesn’t specify the propagation mode. So the description given—propagation at a velocity less than the speed of sound—best matches deflagration.

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