Explosive device

An explosive device is usually just a bomb that is not used by a regular military.^[1] It contains an explosive with a detonator connected to a triggering mechanism to form a device used for a specific purpose.^[2]

A stick of dynamite

1. Diatomaceous earth (or any other type of absorbent material) soaked in nitroglycerin
2. Protective coating surrounding the explosive material
3. Blasting cap
4. Wire connected to the blasting cap

Applications

Commercial

The largest commercial application of explosives is mining. The detonation or deflagration of either a high or low explosive in a confined space can be used to liberate a fairly specific sub-volume of a brittle material (rock) in a much larger volume of the same or similar material. The mining industry tends to use nitrate-based explosives such as emulsions of fuel oil and ammonium nitrate solutions,^[3] mixtures of ammonium nitrate prills (fertilizer pellets) and fuel oil (ANFO) and gelatinous suspensions or slurries^[4] of ammonium nitrate and combustible fuels.

In materials science and engineering, explosives are used in cladding (explosion welding). This is a solid state (solid-phase) process where welding is accomplished by accelerating one of the components at extremely high velocity through the use of explosives. This process is often used to clad carbon steel or aluminium plate with a thin layer of a harder or more corrosion-resistant material.^[5]

• A video on safety precautions at blast sites
• A video describing how to safely handle explosives in mines

Military

Main article: Explosive weapon

Civilian

Main article: Explosives engineering

Safety

Main article: Explosives safety

References

1. "explosive device". Cambridge Dictionaries (Online). Cambridge University Press. n.d. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
2. Hussein, E. M. A. (2003-01-01), Buschow, K. H. Jürgen; Cahn, Robert W.; Flemings, Merton C.; Ilschner, Bernhard (eds.), "Nondestructive Detection of Explosives", Encyclopedia of Materials: Science and Technology, Oxford: Elsevier, pp. 1–5, ISBN 978-0-08-043152-9, retrieved 2025-07-09
3. "Emulsion Explosives - Ideal Industrial Explosives Ltd". www.idealexplosives.com. Retrieved 2024-06-06.
4. "Slurry Explosives -Manufacturer & Suppliers-IDEAL INDUSTRIAL EXPLOSIVES". www.idealexplosives.com. Retrieved 2024-06-06.
5. Lancaster, J.F. (1999). Metallurgy of welding (6th ed.). Abington, Cambridge: Abington Pub. ISBN 1-85573-428-1.