What characteristic of an explosive determines whether it is classified as a low explosive or a high explosive?

Explosive materials may be categorized by the speed at which they expand. Materials that detonate (the front of the chemical reaction moves faster through the material than the speed of sound) are said to be “high explosives” and materials that deflagrate are said to be “low explosives”.

What are the characteristics of a low explosive?

Low Explosives: Low explosives deflagrate rather than detonate. Their reaction velocities are 2000 to less than 3000 feet per second. Black powder is a good example. These materials normally have little water resistance, are highly flammable, sensitive to a No.

What is the difference between low and high explosives?

Explosives fall into two categories – high explosives and low explosives. The main difference between these two categories is the velocity of detonation. High explosives detonate at a rate greater than the speed of sound whereas low explosives deflagrate. Deflagration involves particle to particle burning.

What makes an explosive a high explosive?

High explosives consist of materials that typically combine the reacting elements in the same molecule. This allows them to react much faster, and they “detonate.” Detonation involves supersonic shock waves that pass through the material, causing chemistry that happens quite a bit faster than burning.

What is explosion and give the classification of explosion?

An explosion is a sudden and rapid increase in volume and release of energy in an extreme manner. This is usually accompanied by the generation of high temperatures and release of gases caused by changes in pressure, temperature and phase. In mining, explosives are the most obvious form of explosion hazard.

What is an example of a low explosive?

Black powder, smokeless powder, safety fuse, and squibs/igniters are classified as low explosives.

What makes something explosive?

An explosive substance is a solid or liquid substance (or mixture of substances) which is in itself capable by chemical reaction of producing gas at such a temperature and pressure and at such a speed as to cause damage to the surroundings. Pyrotechnic substances are included even when they do not evolve gases.

How are high explosives categorized?

High explosives are further divided into initiating, or primary, high explosives and secondary high explosives. Initiating high explosives are very sensitive and are generally used in small quantities in detonators and percussion caps to set off larger quantities of secondary high explosives.

What are the different classifications and categories of explosives?

explosive, any substance or device that can be made to produce a volume of rapidly expanding gas in an extremely brief period. There are three fundamental types: mechanical, nuclear, and chemical. A mechanical explosive is one that depends on a physical reaction, such as overloading a container with compressed air.

What is the definition of a high explosive?

Definition of high explosive

: an explosive (such as TNT) that generates gas with extreme rapidity and has a shattering effect.

What is a primary high explosive?

Primary High Explosive – A high explosive sensitive to heat, shock, spark, and/or friction. Primer – See “Initiator”. Primer cap – A small metal device containing an impact-sensitive primary high explosive commonly found in ammunition or used in initiators.

What are the properties of explosives?

An explosive substance is a solid or liquid substance (or mixture of substances) which is in itself capable by chemical reaction of producing gas at such a temperature and pressure and at such a speed as to cause damage to the surroundings. Pyrotechnic substances are included even when they do not evolve gases.

What is the difference between flammable and explosive?

As adjectives the difference between flammable and explosive

is that flammable is capable of burning, especially a liquid while explosive is with the capability to, or likely to, explode.

What is a characteristic of a secondary high explosive?

Secondary High Explosives are those explosives which are relatively insensitive, in comparison to primary explosives and are insensitive to shock, friction, or heat. They are, however cap or booster sensitive and are classified as High Explosives.

What are the three categories of high explosives?

High explosives are divided into three main categories, Primary (or Initiating) High Explosives, Secondary High Explosives, Boosters and Secondary High Explosives, Main Charge. As with many of the terms associated with explosions, there is also other terms that describe combustion explosions, “Deflagration Explosion”.

What is a low explosive train?

Low explosive train

a propellant consisting of a secondary low explosive that emits a large amount of gas as it deflagrates.

Which category of high explosive is much less sensitive than primary explosives?

Secondary explosives
Secondary explosives (colloquially known as “secondaries”) differ from primaries in that they are much less sensitive to impact, friction, electrostatic discharge, heat, and shock. Instead, they are intended to be initiated by the heat and shockwave generated from a detonating primary explosive charge.

Which is the most widely used low explosive quizlet?

The most commonly used low explosives are black powder and smokeless powder. Black powder is a mixture of charcoal, sulfur, and potassium nitrate.

What is a secondary explosive?

Secondary explosive devices are bombs placed at the scene of an ongoing emergency response that are intended to cause casualties among responders.

Why is TNT classified as a secondary explosive?

Secondary explosives are relatively insensitive to heat, shock, or friction and will normally burn rather than detonate if ignited in small quantities in the open air. Dynamite, TNT, Semtex (plastics) are some common examples of this type of explosive.

What is the difference between a primary and secondary explosive?

Primary explosives detonate by ignition from some source such as flame, spark, impact, or other means that will produce heat of sufficient magnitude. Secondary explosives require a detonator and, in some cases, a supplementary booster.

What are the two classes of high explosives?

two types: (1) detonating, or high, explosives and (2) deflagrating, or low, explosives.