how dangerous is it to make gunpowder? crash course

by Orpha Hoeger 8 min read

How is gunpowder classified as a dangerous substance?

May 03, 2016 · Gunpowder is the earliest known chemical explosive. It burns fast (flash fast) and if placed inside a sealed container or shell, will create a quick burst of explosive energy. In a survival situation, primitive tools will get you by but for maximum survivability, you need mechanical weapons and explosives – and nothing beats the time-tested combustive mixture …

What triggers gunpowder?

May 14, 2017 · Black powder is a "low" explosive, meaning that the chemical reaction happens relatively slowly (for an explosion), which gives the water more time to absorb heat energy and quench the reaction. Worse, black powder can be permanently ruined by water. This is because it's a mixture of saltpeter (potassium nitrate, $\ce{KNO3}$), sulfur, and charcoal, and saltpeter …

What are you taught about making gunpowder?

May 23, 2017 · In fact, gunpowder can be triggered by something as seemingly insignificant as static electricity. You must work slowly and carefully (and be willing to accept the risk that you could be blown to pieces in the blink of an eye). Also, dangerous chemicals can be released when mixing the substances together.

Is the manufacture of modern gun powder from scratch possible without electricity?

Mar 08, 2011 · Mouseater. If it smells like powder it’s good to go. If it has an acid smell or maybe vinegar, then it’s starting to go bad, as it definitely doesn’t have a “normal” powder smell. Often times the top layer of the powder will be discolored – rust or brownish color and it will be dusty when poured into another container.

Is it dangerous to make gunpowder?

When the ingredients were carefully ground together, the end result was a powder that was called "serpentine." The ingredients tended to require remixing prior to use, so making gunpowder was very dangerous.Jun 6, 2019

Is it dangerous to make black powder?

The ingredients you are working with and the process of making black powder can be very dangerous. Do not store black powder in a metal can, they can create a spark and ignite the powder.

How much gunpowder can you legally own?

10-3.7 Smokeless propellants intended for personal use in quantities not exceeding 20 lb (9.1 kg) may be stored in original containers in residences. Quantities exceeding 20 lb (9.1 kg), but not exceeding 50 lb (22.7 kg), may be stored in residences if kept in a wooden box or cabinet having walls or at least 1-inc.

How does Dr Stone make gunpowder?

0:213:01Dr. STONE - Senku Makes Gunpowder (English Sub) - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipいい。Moreいい。

Will black powder explode?

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: Black Powder is very sensitive to flame and spark and can also be ignited by friction and impact. When ignited unconfined, it bums with explosive violence and will explode if ignited under even slight confinement. When dry, it is compatible with most metals.

Can you make your own gunpowder for reloading?

You could make cheap powder with potassium nitrate, sulfur, and coal, but you could also experiment by adding things such as isopropyl alcohol into the mixture, possible even some other highly exothermic elements.Feb 13, 2018

How many primers can I store?

Primers shall be stored in cabinets. No more than 200,000 primers shall be stored in any one cabinet.

What is causing the shortage of gun powder?

Handloading today has been affected by many factors. A million new gun owners, the political climate and the COVID pandemic have all combined to create shortages of ammunition, bullets, primers and powders.Oct 28, 2021

How much black powder can I own?

However, the law exempts from regulation commercially manufactured black powder in quantities not exceeding 50 pounds (as well as percussion caps, safety and pyrotechnic fuses, quills, quick and slow matches, and friction primers) intended to be used solely for sporting, recreational, or cultural purposes in antique ...

Does senku make guns?

5 Matchlock Firearms To that end, Senku could have made some improvised firearms. Bamboo would have been a good start for a barrel but seeing as they're already made katanas, iron firearms shouldn't pose a problem. If anything, it can serve as a psychological weapon if Senku finds firearms too violent.Mar 10, 2021

What episode does Dr Stone make a bomb?

Hot Line is the twenty-sixth episode of the Dr.

How do you make Dr Stone soap?

0:031:29Dr. STONE - Calcium Carbonate - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipで。 道帽子体力担当俺に任せろ。 Anacar炭酸カルシウムほどそそるもんは。 ねぇ。 4つの死ぬほど重要な使い道がある。 その1農業正解で水素イオンを打ち飛ばすつまり土がレーベルアップするね。 そのMoreで。 道帽子体力担当俺に任せろ。 Anacar炭酸カルシウムほどそそるもんは。 ねぇ。 4つの死ぬほど重要な使い道がある。 その1農業正解で水素イオンを打ち飛ばすつまり土がレーベルアップするね。 その2減築8位鳥栖のと混ぜるやモルタルの完成だモールたるのセメントの子供だなぁ姉系かまどや家が建つ。 その3石鹸回想からゲットした炭酸ナトリウムに油を混ぜて反応させりゃ。

What was the gunpowder used in the British Congreve rocket?

The British Congreve rockets used 62.4% saltpeter , 23.2% charcoal and 14.4% sulfur, but the British Mark VII gunpowder was changed to 65% saltpeter , 20% charcoal and 15% sulfur. The explanation for the wide variety in formulation relates to usage.

What is the diameter of a gunpowder grain?

Grain diameter decreased with a larger number of Fs and increased with a larger number of Cs, ranging from about 2 mm ( 1⁄16 in) for 7F to 15 mm ( 9⁄16 in) for 7C.

How many megajoules does gunpowder have?

Gunpowder releases 3 megajoules per kilogram and contains its own oxidant. This is lower than TNT (4.7 megajoules per kilogram), or gasoline (47.2 megajoules per kilogram, but gasoline requires an oxidant, so an optimized gasoline and O 2 mixture contains 10.4 megajoules per kilogram).

Why is gunpowder considered a low explosive?

Gunpowder is classified as a low explosive because of its relatively slow decomposition rate and consequently low brisance. Low explosives deflagrate (i.e., burn) at subsonic speeds, whereas high explosives detonate producing a supersonic shockwave.

What is the name of the earliest explosive?

Gunpowder, also known as black powder to distinguish it from modern smokeless powder, is the earliest known chemical explosive. It consists of a mixture of sulfur (S), carbon (C), and potassium nitrate ( saltpeter, KNO 3 ). The sulfur and carbon (in the form of charcoal) act as fuels while the saltpeter is an oxidizer.

What is the diameter of a quarter of gunpowder?

For other uses, see Gunpowder (disambiguation). Black powder for muzzleloading firearms and in granulation size. U.S. quarter (diameter of .955 inch (24.26 mm)) for comparison. Gunpowder, also known as black powder to distinguish it from modern smokeless powder, is the earliest known chemical explosive.

When did the Muslims learn about gunpowder?

The Muslims acquired knowledge of gunpowder some time between 1240 and 1280, by which point the Syrian Hasan al-Rammah had written, in Arabic, recipes for gunpowder, instructions for the purification of saltpeter, and descriptions of gunpowder incendiaries. It is implied by al-Rammah's usage of "terms that suggested he derived his knowledge from Chinese sources" and his references to saltpeter as "Chinese snow" ( Arabic: ثلج الصين ‎ thalj al-ṣīn ), fireworks as "Chinese flowers" and rockets as "Chinese arrows" that knowledge of gunpowder arrived from China. However, because al-Rammah attributes his material to "his father and forefathers", al-Hassan argues that gunpowder became prevalent in Syria and Egypt by "the end of the twelfth century or the beginning of the thirteenth". In Persia saltpeter was known as "Chinese salt" ( Persian: نمک چینی ‎) namak-i chīnī) or "salt from Chinese salt marshes" ( نمک شوره چینی namak-i shūra-yi chīnī ).

Why does each burning granule rise in temperature slower?

That is, each burning granule rises in temperature slower because of its water content, which causes its neighbor to heat slower, and take longer to ignite . However precise measurements show the burning rate change to be larger than can be explained this way, so there must be more to it.

Why can't explosives be exploded in water?

In general, putting explosives in water will not prevent them from exploding, because most explosives already contain all of the necessary reactants to produce an explosive chemical reaction. They do not need to draw oxygen from the air, and the reaction happens much too fast for the water to act as a heat sink.

What is the most common explosive in the world?

When completely dried they burn instead of exploding. The most common explosive in the world -- ANFO -- is rendered (practically) non-explosive by dampening it, but not for the reason you suspect. In this material, the oxidizer (ammonium nitrate) is easily wetted, but the fuel (oil) is repelled by water.

Is nitrocellulose explosive or explosive?

Nitrocellulose explosives are nearly always used as low explosives (propellants), which react by extremely fast burning. However, if suitably compacted (to give good propagation to the shock wave) and given a powerful booster to start it, high-nitrogen nitrocellulose can also be detonated as a high explosive.

Can explosives be wet?

It is not true that explosives, as a general rule become non-explosive when wetted. Most military explosives and many construction/mining explosives are completely waterproof (although their initiation systems may not be.) The product family of commercial emulsion explosives actually need water to be explosive.

Is smokeless powder non-explosive?

Although burn rate is affected by even fractions of a percent of water, smokeless powder doesn't become non-explosive until a lot of water is added. Under transport safety regulations, NC based explosives change from "1.3 explosive" to "4.1 flammable solid" at 25% or greater moisture.

How to mix gunpowder?

How to mix components to make gunpowder. Once the potassium nitrate (saltpeter) is obtained using one of the methods below, grind each component (saltpeter, charcoal, sulfur) with a stone or pestle to a fine powder.

What is the best way to make gunpowder?

Mix charcoal, sulfur, and potassium nitrate together and you get – gunpowder. Commercially manufactured gunpowder granules are often coated with graphite which prevents any buildup of electrostatic charge and reduces the likelihood of an accidental ignition by static electricity.

How is potassium nitrate made?

Once charcoal and sulfur are obtained, potassium nitrate can be created via a reaction between manure and urine. In the methods discussed below, the resulting saltpeter will appear as a crusty, white substance. You may notice this material on the ground near stables or cattle holding pens where it formed naturally as cattle manure and urine mixed to trigger the chemical reaction.

What is the purpose of potassium nitrate in gunpowder?

In gunpowder, saltpeter supplies oxygen for the reaction.

What is the oxidizer in gunpowder?

Gunpowder consists of charcoal, sulfur, and potassium nitrate (commonly known as saltpeter ). Charcoal and sulfur act as the fuels while saltpeter is the oxidizer (more on oxidation below).

What is the ratio of gunpowder to sulfur?

By weight, the ideal ratio of substances would be 75% potassium nitrate (saltpeter), 15% softwood charcoal, and 10% sulfur. This ratio can differ depending upon what the gunpowder will be used for.

What is the French method of making gunpowder?

The French method of creating potassium nitrate. The French method of creating gunpowder is simple but time consuming. Manure is mixed with ashes, straw, and urine. The mixture is tended (stirred periodically) for several months.

What is gunpowder based on?

Modern gunpowder is based on nitrocellulose, with a high nitrogen content. Handling nitrocellulose is a job for experts. In the dry, unglazed, unstabilized form, nitrocellulose is one of the most sensitive and erratic compounds on the planet -- extremely dangerous.

What would happen if someone burned books in the library?

If someone had burned the books in the library because they needed to keep warm and paper makes good kindling, then they would be stuck with old fashioned gunpowder. The necessary know-how is not in books in the library.

How to make nitrocellulose?

I presume then that you have some purely mechanical system available to: 1 Make nitroglycerine and control the process temperature wile you do it. 2 Make and dehydrate the nitrocelluose, keeping it solvent-wet throughout the process 3 Mix the nitrocellulose, nitroglycerine and salts 4 Extrude and cut the cordite rods 5 Glaze the propellant with graphite without causing any static discharge and blowing things up

Can you make black powder without sulfur?

Usable black powder can be made without sulfur according to Ulrich Brescher's measuments http://www.musketeer.ch/blackpowder/recipe.html It is less explosive in a bomb or mortat but a long barreled musket can still get almost as much energy from it, and has the advantage of being less smoky and less corrosive on your weapon, but the black powder armies never realized this because they always assumed the most explosive powder was the best for firearms. His website is also a good source of information on black powder in general, its history and how it was made.

Does cordite foul the barrels of guns?

It fouls the barrels of guns like you wouldn't believe. Smokeless powder like cordite doesn't foul the barrels of guns allowing for semi-auto and automatic weapons to be invented. If you were to load a machine gun with black powder, it would jam the mechanics of it before you fired a dozen shots.

What to do if you fail to shoot muzzleloader?

If you fail to shoot the muzzleloader during a hunting trip (means you had a bad weekend). Remove the ignition source (cap or priming powder), attach a ball puller to your ramrod, thread the puller into the lead ball down the barrel, pull the ball, dump the powder. Done. It’s not rocket science.

How to take a shotgun off a nipple?

Rifle/shotgun take cap off nipple, take ramrod from gun, thread on a special jag that has a threaded tip and insert the rod to the ball and screw it in. Then pull the ball out. Shot is simply poured or the wad is pulled. The same goes with handguns there is a tool that screws in the ball and pulled.

Chemistry

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A simple, commonly cited, chemical equationfor the combustion of gunpowder is: 1. 2 KNO3 + S + 3 C → K2S + N2 + 3 CO2. A balanced, but still simplified, equation is: 1. 10 KNO3 + 3 S + 8 C → 2 K2CO3 + 3 K2SO4 + 6 CO2 + 5 N2. The exact percentages of ingredients varied greatly through the medieval period as the recip…
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Effect

  • Gunpowder is a low explosive: it does not detonate, but rather deflagrates (burns quickly). This is an advantage in a propellant device, where one does not desire a shock that would shatter the gun and potentially harm the operator; however, it is a drawback when an explosion is desired. In that case, the propellant (and most importantly, gases produced by its burning) must be confined. Si…
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History

  • China
    The first confirmed reference to what can be considered gunpowder in China occurred in the 9th century AD during the Tang dynasty, first in a formula contained in the Taishang Shengzu Jindan Mijue (太上聖祖金丹秘訣) in 808, and then about 50 years later in a Taoist text known as the Zhe…
  • Middle East
    The Muslims acquired knowledge of gunpowder some time between 1240 and 1280, by which point the Syrian Hasan al-Rammah had written recipes, instructions for the purification of saltpeter, and descriptions of gunpowder incendiaries. It is implied by al-Rammah's usage of "ter…
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Components

  • Gunpowder is a granular mixture of: 1. a nitrate, typically potassium nitrate (KNO3), which supplies oxygen for the reaction; 2. charcoal, which provides carbon and other fuel for the reaction, simplified as carbon (C); 3. sulfur (S), which, while also serving as a fuel, lowers the temperature required to ignite the mixture, thereby increasing the rate of combustion. Potassiu…
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Granularity

  • Serpentine
    The original dry-compounded powder used in 15th-century Europe was known as "Serpentine", either a reference to Satan or to a common artillery piece that used it. The ingredients were groundtogether with a mortar and pestle, perhaps for 24 hours, resulting in a fine flour. Vibratio…
  • Corning
    For propellants to oxidize and burn rapidly and effectively, the combustible ingredients must be reduced to the smallest possible particle sizes, and be as thoroughly mixed as possible. Once mixed, however, for better results in a gun, makers discovered that the final product should be i…
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Production

  • For the most powerful black powder, meal powder, a wood charcoal, is used. The best wood for the purpose is Pacific willow, but others such as alder or buckthorn can be used. In Great Britain between the 15th and 19th centuries charcoal from alder buckthorn was greatly prized for gunpowder manufacture; cottonwood was used by the American Confederate States. The ingred…
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Legislation

  • The United Nations Model Regulations on the Transportation of Dangerous Goods and national transportation authorities, such as United States Department of Transportation, have classified gunpowder (black powder) as a Group A: Primary explosive substance for shipment because it ignites so easily. Complete manufactured devices containing black powder are usually classifie…
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Other Uses

  • Besides its use as a propellant in firearms and artillery, black powder's other main use has been as a blasting powder in quarrying, mining, and road construction (including railroad construction). During the 19th century, outside of war emergencies such as the Crimean War or the American Civil War, more black powder was used in these industrial uses than in firearms and artillery. Dyn…
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See Also

External Links