Explosives: are materials that produce violent chemical or nuclear reactions.

These reactions generate large amounts of heat and gas in a fraction of a second. Shock waves produced by rapidly expanded gases are responsible for much of the destruction. Probably the oldest known explosive is black gunpowder, a mixture of charcoal (carbon), sulfur, and saltpeter (potassium nitrate). When these three chemicals are ignited, a chemical reaction takes place very quickly. The products of that reaction are carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitric oxide (all gases) as well as potassium carbonate and potassium sulfide (two solids). The four gases formed in the reaction are heated to very high temperatures and expand very rapidly. They form shock waves that have the ability to knock down trees, buildings, people, and other objects in their way. The shock wave also carries with it very hot gases that can burn objects and initiate fires. The combination of shock wave and high temperature is characteristic of most kinds of explosives.

Classification of Explosive Materials: By Sensitivity A primary explosive is an explosive that is extremely sensitive to stimuli such as impact, friction, heat, static electricity, or electromagnetic radiation. A relatively small amount of energy is required for initiation. Primary explosives are often used in detonators or to trigger larger charges of less sensitive secondary explosives. Primary explosives are often used in detonators or to trigger larger charges of less sensitive secondary explosives. primary explosives are commonly used in blasting caps to translate a signal (electrical, shock, or in the case of laser detonation systems, light) into an action, i.e., an explosion. A small quantityusually milligramsis sufficient to initiate a larger charge of explosive that is usually safer to handle.[1] Examples of primary high explosives are:

Acetone peroxide Ammonium permanganate Hexamethylene triperoxide diamine Lead azide Lead styphnate

Lead picrate[2] Mercury fulminate Nitrogen trichloride Nitroglycerin Silver azide Silver acetylide Silver fulminate Sodium azide tetacene Tetraamine copper complexes diazodinitrophenol Azo-Clathrates Tetrazoles Copper acetylide

A detonator is a device used to trigger an explosive device. Detonators can be chemically, mechanically, or electrically initiated, the latter two being the most common. Detonators can be chemically, mechanically, or electrically initiated, the latter two being the most common. Secondary Explosive A secondary explosive is less sensitive than a primary explosive and require substantially more energy to be initiated. Because they are less sensitive they are usable in a wider variety of applications and are safer to handle and store. Secondary explosives are used in larger quantities in an explosive train and are usually initiated by a smaller quanitity of a primary explosive. Examples of secondary explosives include TNT and RDX. Trinitrotoluene (TNT), specifically, 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, is a chemical compound with the formula C6H2(NO2)3CH3. This yellow-coloured solid. Industrially, TNT is synthesized in a threestep process. First, toluene is nitrated with a mixture of sulfuric and nitric acid to produce mononitrotoluene or MNT. The MNT is separated and then renitrated to dinitrotoluene or DNT. In the final step, the DNT is nitrated to trinitrotoluene or TNT using an anhydrous mixture of nitric acid and oleum. Nitric acid is consumed by the manufacturing process, but the diluted sulfuric acid can be reconcentrated and reused. Subsequent to nitration, TNT is stabilized by a process called sulphitation, where the crude TNT is treated with aqueous sodium sulfite solution in order to remove less stable isomers of TNT and other undesired reaction products. The rinse water from sulphitation is known as red water and is a significant pollutant and waste product of TNT manufacture.

Explosive character
It is a common misconception that TNT and dynamite are the same, or that dynamite contains TNT. In fact, whereas TNT is a specific chemical compound, dynamite is an absorbent mixture soaked in nitroglycerin that is compressed into a cylindrical shape and wrapped in paper. Upon detonation, TNT decomposes as follows: 2 C7H5N3O6 3 N2 + 5 H2O + 7 CO + 7 C The reaction is exothermic but has a high activation energy. Because of the production of carbon, TNT explosions have a sooty appearance. Because TNT has an excess of carbon, explosive mixtures with oxygen-rich compounds can yield more energy per kilogram than TNT alone. During the 20th century, amatol, a mixture of TNT with ammonium nitrate was a widely used military explosive. Detonation of TNT can be done using a high velocity initiator or by efficient concussion.[1] For many years, TNT used to be the reference point for the Figure of Insensitivity. TNT has a rating of exactly 100 on the F of I scale. However, the reference has since been changed to a more sensitive explosive called RDX, which has an F of I of 80.

Energy content
See also: TNT equivalent TNT contains 4.6 megajoules per kilogram. The energy density of TNT is used as a referencepoint for many other types of explosives, including nuclear weapons, the energy content of which is measured in kilotons (~4.184 terajoules) or megatons (~4.184 petajoules) of TNT equivalent.[2] For comparison, gunpowder contains 3 megajoules per kilogram, dynamite contains 7.5 megajoules per kilogram, and gasoline contains 47.2 megajoules per kilogram (though gasoline requires an oxidant).

RDX, also known less commonly as cyclonite, hexogen (particularly in German and Germaninfluenced languages), and T4, and chemically as Cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine, is an explosive nitroamine widely used in military and industrial applications. Nomenclature variants include cyclotrimethylene-trinitramine and cyclotrimethylene trinitramine. In its pure, synthesized state RDX is a highly toxic white, crystalline solid. As an explosive, it is usually used in mixtures with other explosives and plasticizers, phlegmatizers or desensitizers. It is stable in storage and is considered one of the most powerful and brisant of the military high explosives.[1]

Arson[1] is the crime of deliberately and maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas.[2] It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires. The study of the causes is the subject of fire investigation. Fires set to the property of another or to one's own property may be for an improper purpose, such as to collect insurance compensation.

Fire investigation, sometimes referred to as origin and cause investigation, is the analysis of fire-related incidents. After firefighters extinguish a fire, an investigation is launched to determine the origin and cause of the fire or explosion. Investigations of such incidents are done using a