What (who) is bomb - definition
![M320]] [[grenade launcher]]](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/211113-Z-IB607-1016 - M320 grenade launcher range (Image 6 of 16).jpg?width=200 "M320]] [[grenade launcher]]")
![Mark 82]] bombs (little more than half a B-2's maximum total ordnance payload) in a 1994 [[live fire exercise]] in [[California]]](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/B-2 Spirit bombing, 1994.jpg?width=200 "Mark 82]] bombs (little more than half a B-2's maximum total ordnance payload) in a 1994 [[live fire exercise]] in [[California]]")
![nuclear bomb]] on its loading carriage](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/B-61 bomb.jpg?width=200 "nuclear bomb]] on its loading carriage")
![An illustration of a fragmentation bomb from the 14th century Ming Dynasty text ''[[Huolongjing]]''. The black dots represent iron pellets.](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Ming Dynasty fragmentation bomb.jpg?width=200 "An illustration of a fragmentation bomb from the 14th century Ming Dynasty text ''[[Huolongjing]]''. The black dots represent iron pellets.")
![Diagram of a simple time bomb in the form of a [[pipe bomb]]](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Pipe bomb 01.svg?width=200 "Diagram of a simple time bomb in the form of a [[pipe bomb]]")
![Soviet]] bombing during the [[Continuation War]] in [[Helsinki]], [[Finland]], the night of February 6–7, 1944](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Pommitustuhoja Helsingissä JSdia270.jpg?width=200 "Soviet]] bombing during the [[Continuation War]] in [[Helsinki]], [[Finland]], the night of February 6–7, 1944")
![[[Thunder crash bomb]]s from the [[Mongol invasions of Japan]] (13th century) that were excavated from a shipwreck near the [[Liancourt Rocks]]](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/てつはう（震天雷）.JPG?width=200 "[[Thunder crash bomb]]s from the [[Mongol invasions of Japan]] (13th century) that were excavated from a shipwreck near the [[Liancourt Rocks]]")
Wikipedia
A bomb is an explosive weapon that uses the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy. Detonations inflict damage principally through ground- and atmosphere-transmitted mechanical stress, the impact and penetration of pressure-driven projectiles, pressure damage, and explosion-generated effects. Bombs have been utilized since the 11th century starting in East Asia.
The term bomb is not usually applied to explosive devices used for civilian purposes such as construction or mining, although the people using the devices may sometimes refer to them as a "bomb". The military use of the term "bomb", or more specifically aerial bomb action, typically refers to airdropped, unpowered explosive weapons most commonly used by air forces and naval aviation. Other military explosive weapons not classified as "bombs" include shells, depth charges (used in water), or land mines. In unconventional warfare, other names can refer to a range of offensive weaponry. For instance, in recent Middle Eastern conflicts, homemade bombs called "improvised explosive devices" (IEDs) have been employed by insurgent fighters to great effectiveness.
The word comes from the Latin bombus, which in turn comes from the Greek βόμβος romanized bombos, an onomatopoetic term meaning 'booming', 'buzzing'.
