Gun Powder

The stuff that goes BOOM.

Julie Amin Chemistry 101

Chemical Composition
Gunpowder, also more commonly known in the 19th century as black powder for its color and consistency is made of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate. The sulfur is not necessarily needed in the propellant, but it definitely makes it much, much more potent.

The first two are common balanced equation for gunpowder 2 KNO3 + S + 3 C 10 KNO3 + 3 S + 8 C K2S + N2 + 3 CO2 2 K2CO3 + 3 K2SO4 + 6 CO2 + 5 N2

These next two are the balanced decomposition of gunpowder, the first with Sulfer, the second without. 4KNO3 + C7H4O + 2 S 6 KNO3 + C7H4O > 2 K2S + 4 CO2 + 3 CO + 2 H2O + 2 N2

> 3 K2CO3 + CO2 + 6 CO + 2 H2O + 2 N2

What Could This Be Used For I Wonder?

Gunpowder today is most commonly used in fireworks. This is mostly because it not classified a high explosive, and therefore does not create a supersonic pressure wave.

What Do We Use Now If Not Black Powder?

Black powder, gunpowder, has wildly been replaced with more fervent explosives

These explosives by and large are smokeless, making them preferable in firearms, and much higher yield, making them preferable in demolition.

The Origins of the Big Boom

China was the first nation to develop and implement gunpowder

Its uses were fairly straight forward, ignite a projectile at an opposing army and have it blow up on them, simple enough, right?

Do Inventions Really Take An Act of War?

The Chinese invented black powder in response to the threat of the Mongols invading China from the North, so I guess wars really do bring about leaps in technology. Unfortunately, the Mongols still conquered China and later employed the explosive powder during their invasion of Japan.

Gunpowder? Medicinal? Perhaps

The Chinese also have documented as early as the first century AD as using saltpeter , another term for a very slow burning chemical powder, which is distinguishable from normal fires because of its purple flame. It was used to treat some wounds, external illnesses

So, What Really is Gunpowder??

Well, if you must know, gunpowder is actually classified as a low explosive. Gunpowder? Really? A low explosive. In fact it is a low explosive. This is due to the fact of its low decomposition rate, which is layman s terms is how fast it goes boom.

The Evolution of Blackpowder

Blackpowder, the black dust that goes boom, has come a long way since the times of the Mongols. It was cannot even be called Blackpowder anymore. There are almost countless replacements for the low yield explosive. Plastic, synthetic, explosives have by and large replaced blackpowder explosives.

How Did That Get Here??

Gunpowder was invented in China, and it spread through the Middle East and into Europe.

Although the Chinese had used it some 800 years prior to the Middle East and Europe. By the late Thirteenth Century there were many known and documented recipes for gunpowder and saltpeter purification techniques.

Would You Like To See Some Examples?

Maybe a Few More?

Works Cited
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackpowder#Black_powder Encyclopedia Brittanica