Detonate

Detonation is the rapid burning of a fuel with a flame front velocity exceeding the speed of sound in the material. Detonation produces pressures much higher than normal combustion. In internal-combustion engines, detonation is sometimes called 'knock' and can harm or destroy an engine in less than a second. A great deal of research is conducted on achieving or preventing detonation in various materials to improve the performance of explosives and engines.