CCTV9英语新闻：粉尘为什么会爆炸（在线收听）

An initial investigation has indicated that the explosion at Kunshan could have been caused by dense clouds of dust that built up inside the workshop. But how does dust cause an explosion? Well, it's actually a well-known phenomenon. and the results can be devastating.

What you’re seeing here is a demonstration of a dust explosion, 10 grams of flour are blown into a container with a flame inside. The fine flour particles suspended in air quickly combust, generating an explosion.

There are many materials commonly known to oxidize and generate dust explosions. They include coal, sawdust, and magnesium and even common household foodstuffs, like grain, flour, sugar, and powdered milk. As that example shows, many of these materials are normally very safe, but when they float around in the air as fine particles, they change their nature completely