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The Epic Interactive Encyclopedia 1997
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1992-09-03
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400b
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11 lines
Or black powder the oldest known explosive, a
mixture of 75% potassium nitrate (saltpetre),
15% charcoal, and 10% sulphur. Sulphur
ignites at a low temperature, charcoal burns
readily, and the potassium nitrate provides
oxygen for the explosion. Although
progressively replaced since the late 19th
century by high explosives, gunpowder is
still widely used for quarry blasting, fuses,
and fireworks.