British Columbia International School Bangkok

Gift/Krittiya Sagaekhao
Grade 11
22128

An Analysis of 2020 Beirut Explosion:

Determining the Distance Between the
Explosion Site and the Saint Maron
Church

Physics 11
Semester 1

Instructor: Maciej Tomczak

Date: 2020-09-01
Abstract
In this analysis, the author determined the distance between the explosion
site and the Saint Maron Church from the 2020 Beirut Explosion. The purpose
of this study was for the class of physics to experience solving real-world
problems through research and estimation. This analysis suggested that 2
separated tremors seen in the video were caused by shockwaves travelling at
different speeds. We utilized the speed of sound through different materials and
difference in time between the 2 shockwaves for this equation. The result of this
study was 2,603 m while the true distance was 3210 m. Even with many
uncertainties, the result showed that the theory was adequately accurate with a
19% error. This concluded that shockwaves -which travelled through different
media, causing 2 tremors- were the cause of destruction for Saint Maron
Church.

Introduction
On August 4, 2020, there had been a massive explosion in Beirut,
Lebanon. According to ​BBC News​ (British B. C., 2008), 2,750 tonnes of
ammonium nitrate exploded. After its arrival in 2013, the chemical was stored
in a single warehouse without any precaution. There were many witnesses and
evidence of the damage being inflicted on the surrounding area. A video showed
two separate shockwaves shook the Saint Maron Church, leading to pictures
falling from the wall. I came to a conclusion that the two tremors seen in the
video were caused by two shockwaves travelling at different speeds. To prove
this theory, this analysis was used to determine the distance between the
explosion sites and the Church of Saint Maron.
Method
A video of a priest was used in this analysis. Two separated shockwaves
were presented in the video. These occurrences could be explained by the nature
of sound. Sound travelled faster in solid material yet more efficient at
transferring its energy into the air. Thus, there were 2 tremors. The first
shockwaves travelled through the ground. As a result, it was faster but weaker
than the second shockwave.

As sound travelled differently in particular materials, the speed of sound

in the air and the ground were acquired. The speed of sound in the air depended
on the temperature. The temperature on August 4 was collected from
AccuWeather (​ AccuWeather, 2013), and inserted into the ​Speed of Sound
Calculator​ on the ​National Weather Service​ (The National Weather Service,
Undated). The result was recorded in meters per second. The outcome was
rounded to the nearest ten.

Typically, grounds are composed of rocks and granites, however, this

analysis estimated the speed of sound through the ground based on granite (as
its speed is relatively close to the speed of sound in other rocks). The data were
acquired from ​The Physics Hypertextbook​ (Elert, G., Undated) and rounded to
the nearest hundred. The equation for this experiment was based on the method
of finding distance through the difference of time between the 2 arrival of the
shockwaves and the difference in its speed.
D
t= V ​ (Eq.
1)

Where:
V is the speed (m/s)
D is the distance (m)
t is the time (s)

As shown in Equation 1, the only known variable was speed. As the time
of the explosion could not be recorded in the video, t would be the difference
in time between 2 shockwaves. The speed of sound in air was named VAir
(Velocity in Air) while the speed of sound in granite was named VRock
(Velocity in Rock). The unknown distance was named x . Each variable was a
substitute for the symbol in equation 1.
 x x
ΔT = V Air − V Rock ​ (Eq. 2)

Where:
t = difference in time = Δt (Unit: s)
VAir = speed of sound in the air. (Unit: m/s)
VRock = speed of sound in the ground. (Unit: m/s)
x = unknown distance (Unit: m)

To find the common denominator, the values of VRock were divided by

the values of VAir; the quotient was named y. As shown in equation 2, VRock
could be substituted by y multiplied by VAir. In order to have the same
denominator, x divided by VAir needed to be timed with y.
yx x
ΔT = (y)V Air − (y)V Air (Eq. 3)

Where:
y = VRock divided by VAir

To find the distance, transposed all values except x to the other side of
the equation. All the known values were noted down. As the unit of VAir was
meter/second, the unit of second (s) in ΔT cut out the unit of second in m/s,
leaving only ‘m’ behind.
ΔT ·y·V Air
z =x ​(Eq. 4)
Results
Equation Variable
D VAir = 350 m/s
t= V

Δt = D
− D
= 7s VRock = 6,000 m/s
V Air V Rock

V Rock
Δt = 7 seconds
V Air = 17VAir
D D
VRock = 17VAir
Δt = V Air − 17V Air

17D D
Δt = 17V Air − 17V Air

16D
Δt = 17V Air

Δt · 17 · V Air
D= 16

7 s· 17 · 350 m/s
D= 16

D​ = 2,603 m

Figure 1. Calculation of the distance between the explosion site and the
Saint Maron Church

As demonstrated in Figure 1, the distance between the explosion site and

the church was 26 · 102 m. After receiving the result, the author verified the
accuracy of the distance through Google Map, discovering that the true distance
was 3,210 m. This equation consisted of estimated speed of sound through air:
350 m/s and estimated speed of sound through granite: 6,000 m/s. The error
percentage was calculated through its equation: ε% = |xEstxT−rue
xT rue|
. The outcome
would be about 18% - 19%.
Discussion
Table 1. Variables true value and estimated values

Variable True value Estimated value

Δt ± 7 seconds 7 seconds

Temperature 27℃ - 31℃ 30℃

VAir 348.95 m/s (30℃) 350 m/s

VRock Unknown (Different 6,000 m/s (Granite)

mixture of materials)

As shown in Table 1, many variables were estimated and rounded; errors

were ensured even before the equation was solved. The result was a clear
indicator that there were many inaccuracies in the values of each variable. The
temperature in Beirut on August 4 was reported to be between 27℃ and 31℃.
However, in the experiment, the number was estimated to be 30℃. The exact
number of the speed of sound in 30℃ was 348.95 m/s. Similar to temperature,
the author rounded the value to the nearest ten: 350 m/s.

Furthermore, the value of speed through the ground was based on granite
under the assumption that a large percentage of the ground consisted of granite.
Without any research on the component of the ground in Beirut, I could not be
certain whether the speed of sound through granite alone had big differences
compared to the ground with various materials. However, for the purpose of
finding the estimated distance between the church and the explosion site, granite
is an adequate substitute.

The calculation of this experiment was based upon the speed of sound
rather than the speed of shockwaves. According to ​Encyclopædia Britannica
(Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., 2020), shockwaves travelled faster than sound,
thus, increasing the inaccuracy of the result. Though there were many
uncertainties presented in the experiment, it should be noted that those errors
did not interfere with the result too greatly; as it can be seen from the error
percentage.
Conclusion
The author concluded that while this experiment largely proved the
shockwave theory, there were many factors left unidentified. However, as the
author discussed in the last section, these factors would not affect the
experiment too greatly. The purpose of this analysis was to allow the class of
physics to exercise theorising, researching, estimating, solving equations, and
writing a scientific paper.

Reference list
British Broadcasting Corporation (2008) ​Beirut Explosion: What we know so far
[Online] Available at: ​https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-53668493
[Accessed 4 September 2020].

The National Weather Service (Undated) ​Speed of Sound Calculator​ [Online]

Available at: ​https://www.weather.gov/epz/wxcalc_speedofsound#​ [Accessed 2
September 2020].

AccuWeather (2013) ​Beirut, Lebanon Monthly Forecast​ [Online] Available at:

https://www.accuweather.com/en/lb/beirut/227342/august-weather/227342
[Accessed 2 September 2020].

Elert, G. (Undated) ​The Physics Hypertextbook​ [Online] Available at:

https://www.accuweather.com/en/lb/beirut/227342/august-weather/227342
[Accessed 2 September 2020].

Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (2020) ​Shock Wave [​ Online] Available at:

https://www.britannica.com/science/shock-wave​ [Accessed 5 October 2020].