How to Make Black Powder
(and other explosives)
Introduction
Black Powder, also known as Gunpowder, is an explosive that has been around, literally, for centuries. The exact origins of the formula are lost in time, but it is known that the
Chinese used Black Powder in weaponry at least 1,000 years ago.
Technically, Black Powder burns by a process known as deflagration. This differs from detonation in that Black Powder produces subsonic shock waves, as opposed to the supersonic shock waves produced by explosives such as Dynamite, C-4 or TNT. This means that Black Powder is better suited as a propellant (such as in fireworks, bullets and cannons) than blasting (such as in construction or demolition).
Safety
Black Powder is dangerous!. The powder burns at a very high temperature, and is easily ignited. (High grade powder doesn’t even need a flame to ignite – it can be set off by percussion, such as the firing pin of a pistol.) Basically, what I am saying is that if you are not careful, you could land up with very severe burns, or worse. Some basic guidelines to follow:
1) Always mix ingredients in small amounts. Do not try to make 10 Kg of black powder (or any explosive) in one batch. Mixing small amounts of powder limits the potential damage should an unexpected explosion occur.
2) Keep your workplace tidy. Always carefully clean up spilled chemicals. Some materials can spontaneously combust when mixed (this is especially true of nitrates and chlorates). For the same reason, use separate instruments (plastic spoons, mixing cups, etc) for different chemicals. Label your instruments so that you know what materials they have been in contact with.
3) Mix materials outdoors. Chemical explosives contain their own internal source of oxygen, and cannot be smothered. If you start a chemical fire indoors, it can be nearly impossible to extinguish.
4) Be aware of static sparks. Do not use metal instruments to mix or grind materials.
Do not store chemicals in metal containers. Use ceramics or plastics wherever possible. Store chemicals and mixtures in plastic containers or ZipLoc bags.
5) Wear safety goggles. Should the worst happen, skin can be grafted. Eyes cannot be replaced.
Ingredients
Black Powder has traditionally consisted of three ingredients: Potassium Nitrate (KNO3, also known as Salt Peter), Sulfur and Charcoal. The Sulfur and Charcoal provide fuel for the reaction, while the Potassium Nitrate provides Oxygen. By themselves, Charcoal and
Sulfur will burn, albeit very slowly. The addition of an oxidizer (such as KNO3) greatly speeds up the burn rate of the fuel, resulting in an explosive reaction.
The traditional ratio of the ingredients is 15:3:2 of KNO3, Charcoal and Sulfur by weight
Purpose: To identify the mystery powder based on its physical and chemical properties, comparing them to the five substances and which one matches. The chemical reactions with water, universal indicator, vinegar and Iodine solution are then analyzed and matched with each other to determine the mystery powder.
When the flame was blown out and the glowing wooden splint was placed halfway into the test tube containing H2O2 and MnO2 crystals, the splint reignited and caught flame once again. This demonstrates the decomposition of H2O2 into water and hydrogen. MnO2 is a catalyst that increases the rate at which H2O2 decomposes. Adding oxygen to a fire will cause it to burn faster and hotter and the oxygen rich test tube allowed the splint to reignite.
Jones, Rhett S. "Nigger and Knowledge. White Double-Consciousness in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." Satire or Evasion? Black Perspectives on Huckleberry Finn. Ed. James Leonard, et al. Durham: Duke UP, 1992. 173-194.
Combustion is a rapid, continuous reaction that usually takes place in the gas phase. Wood is an organic compound primarily comprised of cellulose. For wood, the phase change from a solid to gas is almost instantaneous as combustion occurs (Coleman, et al. 95). Ignition occurs when an outside source is no longer needed to sustain combustion (Coleman, et al. 87).
The ignition device of a spud gun is simply put the spark generator that causes the combustion of the fuel in the firing chamber. This device is usually a charcoal grill lighter. The button on the sparker is depressed and a spark arcs across a wire lead and a ground wire. The grill sparker is installed in to the back of the firing chamber by means of threading, epoxy, and bolts. This sparker becomes a projectile if it is not well seated in the end cap of the firing chamber. It must be held firmly in place withstanding any pressure produced by the fuels being burned in the chamber. This type or igniter will work in most conditions including when it becomes wet with fuel.
Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” is said to be one of the greatest American novels to ever be written and is what all other pieces of American literature are based off of. The novel has been debated for over an entire century and will continue to be debated for much longer. Never the less, Huckleberry Finn teaches young students and adults the important life lessons. ”The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain should remain required reading in American Literature classes because it enlightens students about the horrors of racism and slavery, familiarizes students with the South during time period, and properly portrays the powers of conformity.
If you have done the Volcano project, you would know that you use more vinegar than you do baking soda, but you might not know how much more. I looked up the chemical compounds and names of some common household items, then tested their pH levels. I was going to try to prove that this project can be used with different chemicals, different pH levels, and different amounts. I would show the ideal combinations of acids and bases that would give off this mild explosion. My conclusion could help people in the future who are doing the Volcano project, and want to get a more exciting explosion. Experimental Here is how I did my experiment.
Sulfur is found in the cells of all living organisms and plays a critical role in the oxygenation and detoxification of all cells. It is one of the basic building blocks used throughout the body to make a variety of chemicals such as enzymes, collagen, amino acids, hormones, neurotransmitters, and much more.
Despite all the criticism, of racism and other questionable material for young readers, Mark Twain’s The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn is a superbly written novel, which in the opinion of this reviewer should not be remove the literary cannon. Twain’s novel is a coming of age story that teaches young people many valuable lessons and to some extend makes students reexamine their own lives and morals. The most common argument for its removal from the literary canon is that the novel is too racist; it offends black readers, perpetuates cheap slave-era stereotypes, and deserves no place on today’s bookshelves. However one must ask if Twain is encouraging traditional southern racism or is Twain disputing these idea.
In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, Twain’s main characters depicted the societal issues of racism in the South. Huck Finn, a poor white boy, and Jim, an African American slave, both encounter situations that cause these characters inter turmoil because of the societal standards of the time. According to Mark Twain in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,
Frances W. Kaye suggests that The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is an essential milestone in American literature. This powerful novel is structured around slavery and racism. Removing those elements from the novel serves to change the story itself thereby eliminating its effect. The novel wouldn’t be the novel that it is (1 of 21). Frances W. Kaye discusses the continuing significance of Huckleberry Finn, it emphasizes that the book marks over racism in the white society. She tells the reader that The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is beautiful, cruel and is indecisive. The novel is the bondage of two people and their fight for someone’s freedom. She points out that readers must read carefully because this was written his Twain’s time and the language was different. She tells us that “nigger” was meant for black people back then so she has quoted us what Huck said in the novel “Good gracious! Anybody hurt?” “No’m. Killed a nigger”. “Well, it’s lucky; because sometimes people do get hurt. (Chapter 32)1 Frances W. Kaye tells us that if Twain opinion of slavery ends up being surprising, she believes that Twain opinion o...
Over the 129 years for which the book has been in print, Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has been regarded with much controversy, for many different reasons. As it has progressed, the subject of this controversy has been almost constantly changing. This essay will explore some of the claims and explanations of the controversy, as well as a discussion on whether the book is even that controversial. While everyone is entitled to their own opinion about this novel, The main complaints seem to revolve around three core topics: Twain’s portrayal of Jim and other blacks, The extensive use of the racial slurs and racism, and the final chapters of the book itself.
Mark Twain used the backdrop of a children’s adventure novel to expose the post-Civil War Deep South for what it really was; highly prejudice and slow to change. Some people may argue, “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” is merely an interesting sequel to the already successful, “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”. But, “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” is much more than that. Twain used the “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” to show how the majority of people in the Deep South continued to be highly prejudice, often corrupt, and slow change. Through Jim, a “black” man, Twain shows how “blacks” are every bit as human and compassionate as “whites”. And, in Huck, he shows how a logical person went through a metamorphous to break away from the traditions of the Deep South to realize “blacks” are people too. In this story, Twain successfully shed light on the unsavory side of the Deep South at a time when our country wasn’t necessarily ready to face it.
In commercial processing, the burning takes place in large concrete or steel silos with very little oxygen, and stops before it all turns to ash. It is said that the “procedure leaves black lumps and powder which is about 25% of the original weight. When ignited, the carbon in charcoal merges with oxygen and forms carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, water, other gases, and significant quantities of energy.” It packs more potential energy per ounce than raw wood. Stated by Goldwyn that the char combust steadily, hot and it produces less smoke and lesser unhazardous
Mark Twain’s The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn is one of the most classic American Literature Book. It consists of historical backgrounds, universality, and timelessness. But one of the most outstanding chapters of the book is chapter 27 and 28.In the two chapters, Twain’s use of the literary device – Characterization builds the character of Huckleberry Finn and show the different aspects of his character.