Explosives And Propellants

Question 1

What is Greek fire made up of?

Answer 1

Naphtha, sulfur and pitch

Question 2

What does ballistite consist of?

Answer 2

Camphor (wax)
NG
Collodion (NC)

Question 3

What does Cordite consist of?

Answer 3

NG
Guncotton (NC)
Petroleum jelly

Question 4

What are the two types of explosive initiators?

Answer 4

Detonators and igniters

Question 5

What does ASA consist of?

Answer 5

Lead azide - 68%
Lead stuphnate - 29%
Aluminium powder - 3%

Question 6

What are the required characteristics of Primary explosives?

Answer 6

Stability over long storage periods.
Optimum senstitivity to applied stimulus.
Optimum output of the required kind
Comparability with materials
Safety in loading and handling

Question 7

Definition of low explosives

Answer 7

An explosive substance which decomposes rapidly through combustion with the evolution of heat and flash, and generates a large quantity of gaseous products

Question 8

What does gun powder consist of?

Answer 8

7 parts saltpetre
5 parts hazel twig
5 parts sulphur

Question 9

4 types of smokeless powder

Answer 9

Single, double, triple based propellants and composite

Question 10

What are the types of pyrotechnics?

Answer 10

Illum
Smoke
Signal
Delay
Tracer
Incendiary
Priming
Simulator
Pyromechanisms

Question 11

What makes the color red?

Answer 11

Strontium nitrate

Question 12

What makes the color yellow?

Answer 12

Sodium nitrate

Question 13

What makes the color green?

Answer 13

Barium Nitrate

Question 14

What makes the color blue?

Answer 14

Copper carbonate, chloride, oxychloride

Question 15

Characteristics of priming compositions

Answer 15

Not burn too quickly or violently
Generate a large amount of heat
Be compatable with the mixture
Produce some solids of combustion
Not be unduly sensitive to impact or shock

Question 16

Types on initiators

Answer 16

Flash receptive initators
Stab igniters and detonators
Percussion igniters
Conducting composition igniters and detonators
Hot bridge wire igniters and detonators
Exploding bridge wire detonators
Pyrotechnic igniters

Question 17

The 5 purposes of additives in explosives

Answer 17

Increase sensitivity 
Improve stability
Increase blast effects
Improve mold ability 
Decrease sensitivity

Question 18

What are the essential ingredients in caps?

Answer 18

Primary explosive
Sensitizer
Oxidizer

Question 19

What is dark ignition?

Answer 19

To avoid observation of exact location of the gun

To avoid dazzling the gun layers at night

Question 20

What are the design requirements for illum compositions?

Answer 20

Must burn for the correct time
Must have the correct luminosity
Withstand the firing forces

Question 21

Ideal properties for smoke compositions

Answer 21

Persistent
Non anti personal
Immediate in effect
Non incendiary

Question 22

What are the two groups of incendiary material?

Answer 22

Metals and alloys

Combustible liquids

Question 23

What is the definition of propellant?

Answer 23

An explosive which by controlled burning provides the gas pressure required to give motion to a projectile or missile

Question 24

What are the advantages of single based propellants?

Answer 24

Cooler burning
Considerably less flash than cordite
Ballistics less effected by change in temp

Question 25

What are the 3 burning rates of propellant?

Answer 25

Degressive burning
Neutral burning
Progressive burning

Question 26

What are some additives used in propellants?

Answer 26

Coolant
Stabilizer 
Plasticiser
Moderant
Flash inhibitor
De coppering agent
Anti wear additive

Question 27

Describe primary explosive

Answer 27

A substance or mixture of substances used to initiate a detonation or a burning reaction