| The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-07. |
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| trinitrotoluene |
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or TNT (tr ´´n´´tr t l´y  n) (KEY) , CH3C6H2(NO2)3, crystalline, aromatic compound that melts at 81°C. It is prepared by the nitration of toluene. Trinitrotoluene is a high explosive, but, unlike nitroglycerin, it is unaffected by ordinary shocks and jarring, and must be set off by a detonator. Because it does not react with metals, it can be used in filling metal shells. It is often mixed with other explosives, e.g., with ammonium nitrate to form amatol. |
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| | | The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright © 2007 Columbia University Press. |
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