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Like modern gunpowder, cordite is classified as a low explosive because of its slow burning rates and consequently low brisance [not verified in body]. These produce a subsonic deflagration wave rather than the supersonic detonation wave produced by brisants, or high explosives [not verified in body].
This graph shows different pressure curves for powders with different burn rates. The leftmost graph is the same as the large graph above. The middle graph shows a powder with a 25% faster burn rate, and the rightmost graph shows a powder with a 20% slower burn rate. Energy is the ability to do work on an object. Work is force applied over a ...
An IMR smokeless powder for reloading The Hagley Museum in Wilmington, Delaware. IMR Legendary Powders is a line of smokeless powders which are popularly used in sporting and military/police firearm cartridges. The initials 'IMR' stand for Improved Military Rifle powder. IMR powders makes a line of various types of smokeless powder suitable for ...
Today, velocity of detonation can be measured with accuracy. Together with density it is an important element influencing the yield of the energy transmitted for both atmospheric over-pressure and ground acceleration. By definition, a "low explosive", such as black powder, or smokeless gunpowder has a burn rate of 171–631 m/s. [15]
A substance is characterized by a burn rate vs. pressure chart and burn rate vs temperature chart. Higher burn rate than the speed of sound in the material (usually several km/s): "detonation" A few meters per second: "deflagration" A few centimeters per second: "burn" or "smolder" 0.01 mm/s to 100 mm/s: "decomposing rapidly" to characterise it.
Gunpowder is a low explosive: it does not detonate, but rather deflagrates (burns quickly). This is an advantage in a propellant device, where one does not desire a shock that would shatter the gun and potentially harm the operator; however, it is a drawback when an explosion is desired.
Finnish smokeless powder. Smokeless powder is a type of propellant used in firearms and artillery that produces less smoke and less fouling when fired compared to black powder. Because of their similar use, both the original black powder formulation and the smokeless propellant which replaced it are commonly described as gunpowder.
Black powder produces gas at a predictable rate unaffected by pressure, while the gas production rate of smokeless powder increases with increasing pressure. [6] The possibility of runaway pressures caused smokeless powder to destroy many firearms designed for black powder and required much more precise measurement of propellant charges.