system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5 How An Unopened Can of Soda Thrown Into An Industrial Smelter Could Cause A Significant Thermal Explosion?

One of my shop teachers back in high school said he used to work in a recycling plant and the biggest boogie men of the industry was having an unopened can of soda hitting a smelter at max temp. He told us the resulting explosion would be enough to take out the entire recycling facility. Is this even possible?
gpt
When the can melts it's contents instantly turns to steam.  The expansion ratio is about 1700 to 1.  So imagine in the middle molten metal when that can melts through there is an instant volume increase as big as 1700 soda cans.