Gunpowder, Explosion,

and Explosive Materials

Topic Outline

 Classification and Reaction of Gunpowder

 Classification of Explosion and Explosive Material
 Methods and Examination of Residues
 Sampling, Handling and Preserving Explosive
Materials
ACTIVATING
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
 Before we start with this discussion, we should get the short definition of the
following terms:
 Explosion
 Explosive
 Residues
 Oxidation
 Flammable
ACTIVATING
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
 Explosion
 An explosion is a rapid expansion in volume associate with an extremely
vigorous outward release of energy, usually with the generation of high
temperatures and release of high-pressure gases.
ACTIVATING
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
 Explosive
 Any substance or device that can be made to produce a volume of rapidly
expanding gas in an extremely brief period.
ACTIVATING
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
 Residues
 Something that remains after a part is taken, separated, or designated or after the
completion of a process
ACTIVATING
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
 Oxidation
 the act or process of oxidizing (combination of oxygen)
ACTIVATING
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
 Flammable
 capable of being easily ignited and of burning quickly
CLASSIFICATION AND REACTION OF
GUNPOWDER
 A firearm is a barreled weapon that is common in criminal cases.
 When firing happened, it produces the combustion of powder of the
cartridge.
 The residue of combustion products comprises burned and an
unburned powder called gunshot residue (GSR).
 Gunshot residues include the powder found on the surface of the
bullet and cartridge case.
 Gunpowder is classified as a black powder and smokeless powder.
CLASSIFICATION OF GUNPOWDER:
BLACK POWDER
 It composes 75% potassium nitrate (KNO3), 15% carbon (C), and 10% sulfur (S).
 In black powder reaction, the potassium nitrate reactant serves as an
oxidizing agent because of oxygen in the compound. When heat is applied in
the black powder, the oxidizing agent's oxygen component will be liberated.
 When the oxygen was liberated, combustion occurs when combined with the
carbon fuel and the sulfur-producing two gases, namely carbon dioxide (CO2)
and nitrogen gas (N2).
 The formation of these gases in the cartridge will propel the bullet forward in
bullet cartridges that produce heat. The reaction's residues can be deposited
in the firer's hand and to the barrel that serves as an area or sample for
examination to determine if this person fired a gun.
CLASSIFICATION OF GUNPOWDER:
BLACK POWDER
 Black powder reaction consists of the following reactants and
products of the reaction:
 Carbon (C) in charcoal, and Sulfur (S) as a stabilizer for combustion.
 Potassium nitrate (KNO3) and the products include carbon dioxide
(CO2), nitrogen gas (N2), potassium sulfide (K2S), and heat.
CLASSIFICATION OF GUNPOWDER:
SMOKELESS POWDER
 It replaces the black powder. It serves as a propellant in firearms. A
propellant is a substance or a fuel to make the bullet move out of the
firearm.
 The difference of smokeless powder is that it is safer, clean, and
efficient than the black powder.
 It consists of nitrocellulose classified as single-base, a double-base
composed of nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine. The triple base
consists of nitrocellulose, nitroglycerine, and nitroguanidine.
CLASSIFICATION OF GUNPOWDER:
SMOKELESS POWDER
 Smokeless powder is highly flammable because it can provide built-in
oxygen for combustion even without oxygen coming from the
environment.
 Once the powder ignited meaning burned, it will rapidly burn
completely.
 Ignition occurs when the smokeless powder is exposed to a flame,
electric spark, and electric hot plate.
CLASSIFICATION OF GUNPOWDER:

Figure 1.1: “Powder Samples” by Figure 1.2: “Powder-

Arthurrh is licensed under CC shotgun” by Arz is licensed
BY-SA 3.0 under CC BY-SA 3.0
CLASSIFICATION OF EXPLOSION AND
EXPLOSIVE MATERIAL
 Explosions happen when the gas pressure was confined in a space. It causes
damage when the gases are escaping from the confinement.
 The combustion of explosive devices that contains explosive substances
occurs rapidly. There is no enough time for the oxygen from the surrounding
atmosphere to combine with the fuel during the explosion.
 The ignition or burning of explosive material is called detonation.
CLASSIFICATION OF EXPLOSION AND
EXPLOSIVE MATERIAL
 Explosions are classified as mechanical, atomic, and chemical explosions.
 Mechanical explosions occur when the expansion of gas-producing high
pressure beyond the container's capacity—for instance, an overheated
boiler or a tin can that tossed into a fire.
 Atomic explosion or known as a nuclear explosion, the energy released
from the reaction is derived from radioactive materials' splitting.
Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, the bombing during World War II is an
example of a nuclear explosion
 Chemical explosion produced through the extremely rapid transformation
of the unstable substances and the formation of heat. Flammable and
combustible substances are quickly exploding when exposed to heat.
CLASSIFICATION OF EXPLOSION AND
EXPLOSIVE MATERIAL
 Explosives are also classified according to the speed of the chemical reaction.
They are classified as low explosives and high explosives.
 Low explosives are controllable. Deflagration is about the speed of burning.
Black powder and smokeless powder are examples of low explosive materials.
They are commonly used in mining for blasting, fuse cords in firecrackers and
fireworks, and explosives in crude bombs.
 High explosives have a very high rate of decomposition, more intense and
uncontrollable. The detonation speed is 3000 to 8000 meters per second—
detonation on the speed of the explosion.
CLASSIFICATION OF EXPLOSION AND
EXPLOSIVE MATERIAL
 High explosives materials are subdivided into two: primary or initiating
explosives and secondary or non-initiating explosives:
 Initiating explosives are sensitive to heat, friction, shock, and impact
example is nitroglycerine.
 While non-initiating explosives are relatively insensitive to heat or shock. It
needs a detonator for an explosion to occur. Examples of secondary
explosives are trinitrotoluene (TNT), pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN),
cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX), and dynamite.
 Alfred Nobel was the inventor of dynamite, and it consists of nitroglycerin,
diatomaceous earth, and sodium carbonate.
CLASSIFICATION OF EXPLOSION AND
EXPLOSIVE MATERIAL
 For dynamites, their mixture is wrapped in a stick with a cord where the fire
will transport going to the cylinder. However, today it is replaced by an
electronic detonator called blasting caps (Figure 1.3).
 TNT is used in grenades, bombs, shells, or even alone. PETN is used in
detonation cords to create a series of explosions.
 A homemade explosive is the Molotov cocktail. This is made of a glass bottle
containing petrol fuel, usually with a source of ignition such as burning, fuel
soaked, rag wick held in place by the bottle's stopper.
CLASSIFICATION OF EXPLOSION AND
EXPLOSIVE MATERIAL

Figure 1.3: Dynamite with blasting

cap. A. absorbent material soaked
in nitroglycerin B. Protective coat
C. Blasting caps D. Electrical
cable.
SAMPLING, HANDLING AND PRESERVING
EXPLOSIVE MATERIALS
 In collecting, preserving, packaging, and identifying trace pieces of evidence
in the explosion site, it must be conducted to protect the materials and avoid
contamination. By following these procedures, it will provide an accurate and
objective investigation.
 In case of explosion, you can encounter mixtures of materials or substances
and the incident area's condition or structure. Therefore, the first thing to do
is photographing and sketching the crime scene or the area before removing
or disturbing any items.
 In collecting traces of explosive materials and possible gunshot residue
location, you must be at your proper attire by wearing gloves, either surgical
or latex, protective shoes, mask, and helmet. For the safety of the
investigator or responders, they must be equipped upon arriving in the area.
SAMPLING, HANDLING AND PRESERVING
EXPLOSIVE MATERIALS
 All materials that are possible in the investigation or any source of leads must
be treated individually. It includes suspected bomb components, can or bottle
containers (plastic or glass), fragments, and the victims' materials. All trace
pieces of evidence must be pack on a separate external container.
 In labeling, it includes the date, collector’s name, number of items, and the
location from the exploded area and secured before transporting the pieces
of evidence in the laboratory.
The End