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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.
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 .
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 · 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 ).
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.
Nov 1, 2023 · However, it has just as often been used for pyrotechnics such as fireworks and as a blasting agent for quarrying, mining, and building roads. As such, gunpowder is one of humanity’s greatest inventions. Yet, for all its importance, the history and development of gunpowder remains poorly understood.
