Explosives

Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 107. Chapters: Explosive material, Gunpowder, Shaped charge, Dynamite, Plastic explosive, Semtex, Reactive armour, C-4, Misznay-Schardin effect, Detonator, List of explosives used during World War II, Brisance, ANFO, Nuclear explosive, Improvised explosive device, Ammunition, Smokeless powder, Ammonium nitrate disasters, Explosives safety, Gunpowder magazine, Nano-thermite, Flash powder, Explosively formed penetrator, Polymer-bonded explosive, Blasting cap, Safety fuse, Beyond-armour effect, TNT equivalent, Steam explosion, Tovex, Dense Inert Metal Explosive, Improved Military Rifle, Ballistite, Squib, Argon flash, Detonating cord, 2,4,6-Trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid, Deflagration, Safety testing of explosives, Tannerite, Strength, Amatol, Oxyliquit, Boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion, Explosives trace detector, Munroe effect, Shock factor, NFPA 1123, Explosive lens, Electric match, Reactive material, List of Japanese World War II explosives, Explosion protection, Poudre B, Dunnite, Irvine Masson, Torpex, Composition C, Explosive train, Ammonal, Composition B, Astrolite, PLX, Shock sensitivity, ZND detonation model, Explosophore, Explosive booster, Panclastite, Detasheet, Nonel, Water gel explosive, Sprengel explosive, Thermalite, Ice blasting, Primacord, Rock blasting, G2ZT, Minol, Octol, Armstrong's mixture, Hexanite, Explosives engineering, Cyclotol, Carbonite, Titadine, Tonite, Gelignite, Baratol, Petroleum And Explosives Safety Organisation, Cheddite, Webster's reagent, Plastic Igniter Cord, Primasheet, Brown powder, Danubit, Composition H6, Dyno Nobel, Goma-2, Phlegmatized, Ednatol, Ecrasite, Saucisson, IMX-101, Hi-Fi Digimonster, Pyrotol, Picratol, Tritonal, Shimose powder, Net explosive quantity, LX-14, Contact explosive, Pentolite, Mexal 1500, Cordtex, OKFOL, HBX, Amatex, A-IX-2, PNNM. Excerpt: Gunpowder, also known since the late 19th century as black powder, is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate. Gunpowder can be made just using potassium nitrate and charcoal (or alternatively without charcoal), but without the sulfur (or coal), the powder is not as strong. It burns rapidly, producing a volume of hot gas made up of carbon dioxide, water, and nitrogen, and a solid residue of potassium sulfide. Because of its burning properties and the amount of heat and gas volume that it generates, gunpowder has been widely used as a propellant in firearms and as a pyrotechnic composition in fireworks. The term gunpowder also refers broadly to any propellant powder. Modern firearms do not use the traditional gunpowder (black powder) described in this article, but instead use smokeless powder. Antique firearms or replicas of antique firearms are often used with black powder substitute. Gunpowder is classified as a low explosive because of its relatively slow decomposition rate and consequently low brisance. Low explosives deflagrate at subsonic speeds. High explosives detonate, producing a supersonic wave. Ignition of the powder packed behind a bullet must generate enough pressure to force it from the muzzle at high speed, but not enough to rupture the gun barrel. Gunpowder is thus less suitable for shattering rock or fortifications, where high explosives such as TNT are preferred. Gunpowder was, according to prevailing academic consensus, discovered in the 9th century by Chinese alchemists searching for an elixir of immortality. This discovery led to the invention of fireworks and the earliest ...