Changes

==History==

==History==

Gunpowder was invented in [[China]] by about 1100 A.D., and possibly earlier. It was brought to Europe sometime after 1200. The oldest European account of of a formula is in a letter from [[Francis Bacon]] to [[Pope Clement IV]] in 1267 A.D. By 1275, [[Albertus Magnus]] described a formula of four parts saltpeter to one part charcoal and one part sulfur.  

Gunpowder was invented in [[China]] by about 1100 A.D., and possibly earlier. It was brought to Europe sometime after 1200. The oldest European account of a formula is in a letter from [[Francis Bacon]] to [[Pope Clement IV]] in 1267 A.D. By 1275, [[Albertus Magnus]] described a formula of four parts saltpeter to one part charcoal and one part sulfur.  

When Europeans ground together charcoal, saltpeter, and sulfur they called it "serpentine powder."  It easily absorbed moisture, and decomposed into its three parts when bounced around in long trips. It would not not burn if packed too tightly. By 1500 serpentine powder was replaced by corned gunpowder, which was pressed into pellets and screened to a uniform size.

When Europeans ground together charcoal, saltpeter, and sulfur they called it "serpentine powder."  It easily absorbed moisture, and decomposed into its three parts when bounced around in long trips. It would not not burn if packed too tightly. By 1500 serpentine powder was replaced by corned gunpowder, which was pressed into pellets and screened to a uniform size.

Black powder continued in use as an igniter for the propellant charge, particularly in the larger guns. With later developments, propellants consisting of either nitrocellulose or nitroglycerine were described as "single-base" powder; others containing both were described as "double-base"; and a third category containing nitrocellulose, nitroglycerine, and other chemicals was called "triple-base" or "multiple-base." At the close of the 19th century, the U.S. Navy followed the lead of the French and adopted a nitrocellulose powder as a propellant charge.

Black powder continued in use as an igniter for the propellant charge, particularly in the larger guns. With later developments, propellants consisting of either nitrocellulose or nitroglycerine were described as "single-base" powder; others containing both were described as "double-base"; and a third category containing nitrocellulose, nitroglycerine, and other chemicals was called "triple-base" or "multiple-base." At the close of the 19th century, the U.S. Navy followed the lead of the French and adopted a nitrocellulose powder as a propellant charge.

This proved reasonably satisfactory until World War II night engagements, when smokeless powder was objectionable because its flash temporarily blinded the ships' crews. Various flash suppressors were devised and mixed with the powder, which was formed into grains for small guns and into pellets for the larger guns. The British used a multiple-based powder, Cordite N, which was relatively flash-free, but which the U.S. Navy considered to be brittle, unduly sensitive to shock, and hazardous in hot climates. As a result the United States developed other flashless powders and was placing one of them, Albanite, in large scale production at the end of World War II.

This proved reasonably satisfactory until World War II night engagements, when smokeless powder was objectionable because its flash temporarily blinded the ships' crews. Various flash suppressors were devised and mixed with the powder, which was formed into grains for small guns and into pellets for the larger guns. The British used a multiple-based powder, Cordite N, which was relatively flash-free, but which the U.S. Navy considered to be brittle, unduly sensitive to shock, and hazardous in hot climates. As a result, the United States developed other flashless powders and was placing one of them, Albanite, in large scale production at the end of World War II.

Despite the adoption of smokeless powder, black powder still continued in use as a burster charge for projectiles until just before World War I, when more powerful and less sensitive explosives were adopted. In the U.S. Navy, trinitrotoluene ([[TNT]]) was adopted for smaller projectiles and Explosive D (ammonium picrate) for the larger ones. These continued in use throughout World War II, although by the end of the war more powerful explosives had come into use, particularly in the smaller antiaircraft projectiles. If the entire spectra of powder uses is considered—torpedoes, mines, aerial bombs, and rockets, as well as large and small projectiles—the trend in explosive development, beginning with the adoption of smokeless powder, was to recognize the special demands of various uses and to formulate specialized compounds tailor-made to particular requirements.

Despite the adoption of smokeless powder, black powder still continued in use as a burster charge for projectiles until just before World War I, when more powerful and less sensitive explosives were adopted. In the U.S. Navy, trinitrotoluene ([[TNT]]) was adopted for smaller projectiles and Explosive D (ammonium picrate) for the larger ones. These continued in use throughout World War II, although by the end of the war more powerful explosives had come into use, particularly in the smaller antiaircraft projectiles. If the entire spectra of powder uses is considered—torpedoes, mines, aerial bombs, and rockets, as well as large and small projectiles—the trend in explosive development, beginning with the adoption of smokeless powder, was to recognize the special demands of various uses and to formulate specialized compounds tailor-made to particular requirements.