gunpowder
Also known as black powder
thumb|upright=1.3|Gunpowder for muzzleloader|muzzleloading firearms in granulation size thumb|American Civil War re-enactors volley firing with black powder thumb|Flash pan starter dispenser
AI overview
Gunpowder is a mixture of chemical substances that, when ignited, produces a rapid explosion and was historically the primary propellant used in firearms and cannons. It played a crucial role in military history and the development of weapons technology, particularly from its invention through the era of muzzle-loading firearms.
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Article
25 sectionsContents
- Effect
- History
- China
- Middle East
- Europe
- India
- Southeast Asia
- Historiography
- Components
- Other compositions
- Sulfur-free powders
- Smokeless powders
- Granularity
- Serpentine
- Corning
- Modern types
- Chemistry
- Production
- Legal status
- Other uses
- See also
- Footnotes
- Notes
- References
- External links
thumb|upright=1.3|Gunpowder for muzzleloader|muzzleloading firearms in granulation size thumb|American Civil War re-enactors volley firing with black powder thumb|Flash pan starter dispenser
Gunpowder, commonly referred to 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. Gunpowder has been widely used as a propellant in firearms, artillery, rocketry, and pyrotechnics, including use as a blasting agent for explosives in quarrying, mining, building pipelines, tunnels, and roads.