Essay on How Pyrotechnics and Explosives Have Changed the World

Consumer Products Safety Commission (2001) Fireworks Business Guidance Retrieved on August 24, 2014 from https://www.cpsc.gov/en/Business--Manufacturing/Business-Education/Business-Guidance/Fireworks/

Fire has been used in battle as far back as the Greeks in 7th century A.D, but the most devastating use of fire warfare was when Napalm used by the United States in World War two against the Japanese and again in the Vietnam War. Flame throwers were used in World War One, but the problem was that it burned too quick because of the gasoline mixture that was used to produce the flame. In 1942 a team of Harvard researchers that was led by Dr. Louis Fieser discovered that a mixture of rubber with the gasoline made a flame that burned longer, but rubber was would have to be replaced by aluminum soap powder because of the scarcity of rubber (Rohn “Napalm in Vietnam War”). This mixture would later be known as napalm and it was a modernization of war with devastating results.

Having your skin burn and melt off the bones and then your throat could become so swollen and blistered from breathing in hot air and fumes that you would be unable to take in any more oxygen this is what being burned alive is like. The Flamethrower, metal cylinder tanks used to hold fuel and hose like tubes that would push the fluid through and out through the spought at the tip of the tube. The chemistry of my weapon is the fact that the cylinder tanks have utilized nitrogen inside used as fuel for the fire. Flamethrowers were intended to burn things down, and also to make enemy lines back down and to make it easier to invade territory. Used in WW1 from the years 1914 to 1918. It was tested in 1900 but not fully developed until 1911. The flamethrower played a big role in WWI, in favor for the germans. Used in the first line of soldiers to push enemy lines back and make easier to invade their land. The flamethrower was in the favor of the Germans in WWI, the Germans launched around 650 flamethrower attacks in WWI.

There are things that suggest that gunpowder was discovered even earlier than 700 A.D., but it was just not widely used or recorded that it was used. The Chinese were not meaning to invent the basis for gunpowder. In fact, they were trying to invent something

The Chinese civilization has a huge influence on mankind’s development throughout the years due to its inventions, one of the inventions being gunpowder. In the Gunpowder from China timeline it is displayed how in 1044, gunpowder was first recorded ( Document 7 ). Then later in 1364, the first recorded use of firearm was documented, which leads to the conclusion in which 1364 was the first time

Gunpowder was invented in Tang China in 850. It was made during experiments that sought to make elixirs that prolong life . It composed of saltpeter, or potassium nitrate, sulfur, and charcoal and explodes when a spark from a percussive impact ignites it . The Chinese during the Song dynasty saw gunpowder’s potential. They utilized it in propelling rockets and making explosive projectiles. The Chinese Bureau of Munitions, by the thirteenth century, had seven factories that produced 7,000 rockets and 21,000 bombs per day . In 1232, they used thunder-crash bombs, which are early hand grenades, against the Mongols, who attacked Kaifeng, a city in northern China . Mongols, however, learned the recipe to gunpowder and began using gunpowder-based

"Boom! Pow! Sounds that are immediately followed by Ahh's and cheers. For most of us these sounds are all too familiar at annual 4th of July firework celebrations. However, what would a 4th of July celebration be without the glimmering colors of our nation. People all over our country are able to share in the excitement of fireworks partly due to the effects of one element. The glow of a child’s face from “Glow in the dark” paint is able to work - again- because of the effects of one element. However, the feelings of happiness and pleasure are not constricted to only the red glow of paints and flares. This amazing element is also able to bring pleasure and

Napalm, a jelly-like substance, was first introduced into modern day warfare in WWII. This incendiary gel resembles a firework in the fact that

In the early days, explosive users would light a fuse, to which the flame would travel down the fuse to powder lying within the explosive, resulting in a combustion of released gasses from the burning gunpowder. Gunpowder then was used for stationary explosives such as TNT, its use being to blast rocks to break through mountains, paving the way for roads to be built and laying down the foundation for the future. Gunpowder’s “vehement nature” led to the search and discovery of other explosives, ones that didn’t share gunpowder’s unstable explosions and heavy smoke

Gunpowder was used in the 11th century Song Dynasty by, Wujing Zongyao. This was a discovery led to the invention of fire work’s. Gunpowder consists of potassium nitrate, some common charcoal, and sulfur. The potassium nitrate became from a decaying animal manure, and later it becomes from mines in china.

Tang Dynasty had many cultural achievements that impacted China's civilization even till this day still utilize. During the rule time of Tang Dynasty the types of achievements made was gunpowder, mechanical clock, printing, paper money currency, and other inventions. One of the achievements that happened during Tang Dynasty was the development of gunpowder. Gunpowder was invented by accident while mixing different chemicals together making an explosion. Which was the mixture of saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal ( Park, 2017). Gunpowder was first used on fireworks for the explosion and different colors. Then later on gunpowder was being used in guns,and cannons. This was a really big impact to China and also all around the world. Gunpowder was

When we see fireworks explode, what we’re actually seeing is the explosion of components inside the aerial shell. The aerial shell is made up of gunpowder and stars, small lumps that are comprised of fuel, an oxidizing agent, a metal-containing colorant, and a binder. These stars are what give the fireworks their colors. (De Antonis, pg 8). The metal-containing colorant produces the color when it’s exposed to a flame (in this case, the ignition of the gunpowder) then the fuel and oxidizing agent combine to create a chemical reaction that yields powerful heat and gas (De Antonis, pg 8).The binder holds all these ingredients together when the firework explodes. When the fuse at the bottom of a firework is lit, the energy propels it upwards until

The flamethrower has been around for a very long time, as far back as the 5th century b.c. Now recently in the last 100 years made a reappearance and this time it is even more deadly than before. The reoccurrence of popularity came about in around 1915 when a German scientist named Richard Fiedler came up with the first modern flamethrower. The flamethrower is a weapon that if you couldn’t tell by reading the name, it shoots out flames. How a flamethrower actually works is not as hard as it sounds “These took the form of lengthy tubes filled with burning solids (such as coal or sulphur), and which were used in the same way as blow-guns: by blowing into one end of the tube the solid material inside would be propelled towards the operator's enemies.”http://www.firstworldwar.com/weaponry/flamethrowers.htm

There is an old-line of the Chinese fireworks, which is tightly combined with varieties of celebrations and festivals in China. Especially, Liuyang is known as “the home of fireworks and firecrackers” and good at making varieties of fireworks. And fireworks and firecrackers has become the pillar industry of Liuyang.

Gunpowder has been around for centuries, over millennium. How has gunpowder effected Warfare, and life as we know it? It could easily be argued that one of the most important inventions or discoveries in history has been gunpowder. Gunpowder permanently altered the way humans wage war. Gunpowder was to blame for the rise and fall of Empires (Schroder, M. 2012)