Table of Contents
Does nitroglycerin really explode?
Nitroglycerin is extremely sensitive to shock and to rapid heating; it begins to decompose at 50–60 °C (122–140 °F) and explodes at 218 °C (424 °F). The safe use of nitroglycerin as a blasting explosive became possible after the Swedish chemist Alfred B.
How dangerous is it to make nitroglycerin?
In its undiluted form, nitroglycerin is a contact explosive, with physical shock causing it to explode. If it has not been adequately purified during manufacture it can degrade over time to even more unstable forms. This makes nitroglycerin highly dangerous to transport or use.
Why is medical nitroglycerin not explosive?
Usually, chemical compounds rely on external sources of oxygen in order to combust or cause an explosive reaction. In nitroglycerin’s case, this step is skipped entirely because it has a vast quantity of oxygen molecules in its chemical structure!
Is exploding of nitroglycerin a chemical change?
Dynamite is a chemical that can explode violently. The chemical reactions involved here release tremendous amounts of energy very quickly. Dynamite was invented by Alfred Nobel in 1866. Nitroglycerin, a very unstable explosive, was already known.
Is nitroglycerin the same as TNT?
• TNT is a chemical compound whereas dynamite is a mixture. • TNT is trinitrotoluene and dynamite contains nitroglycerin. • TNT contains 4.184 megajoules per kilogram, and dynamite contains 7.5 megajoules per kilogram.
What is the most explosive compound?
Azidoazide Azide (C2N14) is the most explosive compound ever created. This compound belongs to a class of chemicals known as High-Nitrogen Energetic Materials.
How unstable is nitroglycerin?
Nitroglycerin has one major disadvantage, however – it is very, very unstable. To be a useful explosive, a substance has to be able to withstand, without detonating, the jolts and bumps both of its manufacture, and of its transportation to where it will be used.