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Gunpowder, also commonly known as black powder to distinguish it from modern smokeless powder, is the earliest known chemical explosive. It consists of a mixture of sulfur, charcoal (which is mostly carbon ), and potassium nitrate (saltpeter). The sulfur and charcoal act as fuels while the saltpeter is an oxidizer.
Gunpowder is the first explosive to have been developed. Popularly listed as one of the "Four Great Inventions" of China, it was invented during the late Tang dynasty (9th century) while the earliest recorded chemical formula for gunpowder dates to the Song dynasty (11th century).
Jun 28, 2024 · gunpowder, any of several low-explosive mixtures used as propelling charges in guns and as blasting agents in mining. The first such explosive was black powder, which consists of a mixture of saltpetre (potassium nitrate), sulfur, and charcoal.
Jun 6, 2019 · Gunpowder or black powder is of great historical importance in chemistry. Although it can explode, its principal use is as a propellant. Gunpowder was invented by Chinese alchemists in the 9th century. Originally, it was made by mixing elemental sulfur, charcoal, and saltpeter ( potassium nitrate ).
Feb 3, 2019 · Black powder is the name given to the earliest known chemical explosive. It is used as a blasting powder and a propellant for firearms, rockets, and fireworks. The composition of black powder or gunpowder is not set. In fact, several different compositions have been used throughout history.
Nov 1, 2023 · Gunpowder is a mixture of sulfur, carbon (charcoal), and potassium nitrate (saltpeter) that is also commonly known as “black powder” due to its color. Compared to other chemical explosives, gunpowder is relatively simple to produce. Each of its three ingredients plays an important role in the reaction.
Dec 13, 2023 · The invention of gunpowder by Chinese alchemists was a pivotal event in history. Its discovery, initially an unintended consequence of alchemical experiments, had far-reaching impacts that transcended warfare, influencing various aspects of society and shaping the course of human civilization.
Military technology - Gunpowder, Revolution, 1300-1650: Few inventions have had an impact on human affairs as dramatic and decisive as that of gunpowder. The development of a means of harnessing the energy released by a chemical reaction in order to drive a projectile against a target marked a watershed in the harnessing of energy to human needs.
Feb 20, 2019 · Updated on February 20, 2019. Chinese Taoist alchemists were the major force behind the early invention of gunpowde r. Emperor Wu Di (156-87 BCE) of the Han dynasty financed research done by the alchemists on the secrets of eternal life.
Explosive - Manufacturing, Ingredients, Gunpowder: Manufacture of black powder was accomplished originally by hand methods. Ingredients were ground together with a mortar and pestle. The next step was to use crushing devices of wood (wooden stamps), also operated by hand, in wooden or stone bowls.
