Name: Date: Rating:

Program, Yr. and Blk. Instructor:

LABORATORY ACTIVITY NO. 10

TEST FOR GUNPOWDER

I. OBJECTIVE: To study the physical and chemical methods of identifying

different kinds of gunpowder and explosives.
II. MATERIALS: Black powder, smokeless powder, dynamite powder,
ethylene glycol dinitrate, picric acid, lead oxide.
III. PROCEDURE:
Preliminary Test: Place one half gram of black powder in a casserole dish. Describe
the color and texture then ignite with a burning splinter. Repeat using smokeless
powder.
Black Powder Smokeless Powder

Color
Texture
Effect after ignition
 Chemical Test: To the burnt residue add 1-2 drops diphenylamine. Observe the
color:

Black Powder Smokeless Powder

Microscopic Examination: Place on a glass slide a few pellets of smokeless powder

and view under the low power objective. Draw the result. Repeat using different
kinds of gunpowder.

BLACK POWDER
 SMOKELESS POWDER

DYNAMITE POWDER

IV. CONCLUSION:
What is black powder made of?

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