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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.
May 22, 2024 · Learn about the origin, chemistry, and applications of gunpowder, the first explosive used in firearms and mining. Explore the evolution of black powder, nitrocellulose, and pyrodex, and their effects on warfare and industry.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Kit Harington stars as Robert Catesby, the leader of a group of Catholic traitors who plan to assassinate King James I and blow up Parliament in 1605. The series is based on the true events of the Gunpowder Plot, a notorious conspiracy in English history.
- (12K)
- 2017-12-18
- Drama, History
- 59
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 6, 2019 · Learn about the origin, composition, and uses of gunpowder or black powder, a chemical mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and saltpeter. Find out how gunpowder works as a propellant and an explosive, and how it differs from modern substitutes.
- Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Dec 13, 2023 · Learn how gunpowder, a serendipitous discovery by Chinese alchemists seeking immortality, revolutionized warfare and society. Explore the origins, composition, and impact of this explosive invention and its global spread.
Feb 20, 2019 · Learn how Chinese alchemists invented gunpowder and used it for fireworks, medicine and warfare. Discover the origins of the rocket and the Book of the Kinship of the Three.
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