THE CHEMISTRY OF

GUNPOWDER CHARCOAL
Consists of broken down cellulose
and provides carbon and other fuel
for the reaction.

SALTPETRE
Saltpetre is a common name for
potassium nitrate. It supplies oxygen
for the combustion reaction.

SULFUR
Sulfur, also referred to as brimstone,

Products of Combustion lowers the ignition temperature

required to start the reaction.

ENERGY DENSITY
56% SOLID
PRODUCTS 43% GASEOUS
PRODUCTS 1% WATER
3 MEGAJOULES PER KG

75% 15% 10%

Potassium Nitrate Charcoal Sulfur
KNO3 C S
A SIMPLIFIED EQUATION FOR THE BURNING OF BLACK POWDER
10KN0 3 + 8C + 3S 2K 2 CO 3 + 3K 2 SO 4 + 6CO 2 + 5N 2
© COMPOUND INTEREST 2014 - WWW.COMPOUNDCHEM.COM
C SHARED UNDER A CREATIVE COMMONS AT TRIBUTION-NONCOMMERCIAL-NODERIVATIVES 4.0 INTERNATIONAL LICENCE
BY NC ND