It is usually the shrapnel (small pieces of metal) from the explosion that kills people. Shrapnel can travel at 3000 feet per second in all directions from the explosion. The metal pieces are razor sharp and will cut through the human body causing fatal wounds.

What is shrapnel and why is it dangerous?

Shrapnel from a bomb can cause life-changing injuries or even kill as fragments hit a person. ... Shrapnel has the ability to slice through flesh and cause awful wounds (like a bullet fired from a gun) and if shrapnel hits bone it has the ability to break and shatter it.

How fast is shrapnel?

The speed of the shock wave was 6482-7194 m/sn and shrapnel speed was 1420-1752 m/sn. Conclusion: Shock waves especially affect the air-filled organs and cause lung injury, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and intestinal and eardrum perforation. Blast wind destroys targets due to its high speed and high density.