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C-4 (composition 4) is one of the popular plastic explosive(explosive chemical mix with plastic binder). It has two important advantages:

  1. The explosive material which coated with plastic binder will make it less sensitive to heat and shock. Since it is stabilized, it is relatively safe to handle C-4. Only detonator or blasting cap can trigger the reaction. Lighting the C-4 with a match will just make it burn slowly, like a piece of wood. (In Vietnam, soldiers actually burn C-4 as an improvised cooking fire.) Even shooting the explosive with rifle won't trigger the reaction.
  2. C-4 material is highly flexible. It can be molded into different shapes to change the direction of the explosion.

Explosive material in C-4 is cyclotrimethylene-trinitramine (royal demolition explosive / RDX). Cyclotrimethylene-trinitramine was first prepared in 1899 from nitric acid and methenamine by Henning. The flow chart below (please refer to reference below) shows the synthesis method uses methenamine (hexamethylenetetramine).

Besides the method above, cyclotrimethylene-trinitramine can also be synthesized from formaldehyde, ammonium nitrate and acetic anhydride. (Method developed by Ross and Schiessler' in 1940's)

Normally, C-4 is made up of explosives, plastic binder, plasticizer and, usually, marker or taggant chemicals such as 2,3-dimethyl-2,3-dinitrobutane (DMDNB) to help detect the explosive and identify its source. In 2004, Kenneth E. Lee discovered a reformulation of composition C-4 explosive for superior energetic performance and flexibility. (US Patent: 6887324)

Reference:

How C-4 explosive is made. Life Chemistry. Retrieved June 30, 2008, from http://life-chemistry.blogspot.com/2008/06/how-c-4-explosive-is-made.HTML

AnswerRDX is thought to mean "Research Department Compound X." The Research Department was the part of the Ministry of Defence that made new military products, and they numbered the explosives they created. In the case of RDX, they were going to put a number on it later but just never got around to it.
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Is mt shasta a explosive or a non-explosive volcano?

Mount Shasta is considered a potentially explosive stratovolcano due to its composition of andesite and dacite lava which can lead to explosive eruptions. However, its most recent eruptions have been relatively non-explosive with mainly effusive lava flows.


What is the main ingrediant to c4 explosives?

C-4 (composition 4) is one of the popular plastic explosive(explosive chemical mix with plastic binder). It has 2 important advantages:The explosive material which coated with plastic binder will make it less sensitive to heat and shock. Since it is stabilized, it is relatively safe to handle C-4. Only detonator or blasting cap can trigger the reaction. Lighting the C-4 with a match will just make it burn slowly, like a piece of wood. (In Vietnam, soldiers actually burn C-4 as an improvised cooking fire.) Even shooting the explosive with rifle won't trigger the reaction.C-4 material is highly flexible. It can be molded into different shapes to change the direction of the explosion.Explosive material in C-4 is cyclotrimethylene-trinitramine (royal demolition explosive / RDX). Cyclotrimethylene-trinitramine was first prepared in 1899 from nitric acid and methenamine by Henning. The flow chart below (Please refer to reference below) shows the synthesis method uses methenamine (hexamethylenetetramine).Besides the method above, cyclotrimethylene-trinitramine can also be synthesized from formaldehyde, ammonium nitrate and acetic anhydride. (Method developed by Ross and Schiessler' in 1940's)Normally, C-4 is made up of explosives, plastic binder, plasticizer and, usually, marker or taggant chemicals such as 2,3-dimethyl-2,3-dinitrobutane (DMDNB) to help detect the explosive and identify its source. In 2004, Kenneth E. Lee discovered a reformulation of composition C-4 explosive for superior energetic performance and flexibility. (US Patent: 6887324)Reference:How C4 explosive is made. Life Chemistry. Retrieved June 20, 2008, fromhttp://life-chemistry.blogspot.com/search/label/Explosive


What type of lava is considered intermediate composition?

Andesitic lava is considered intermediate in composition. It has moderate silica content and viscosity, resulting in eruptions that produce both effusive and explosive activity.


How does magma composition and the resulting eruption affect the form of a volcano?

If the composition of the magma is high in silica, the eruption will be explosive. The Eruption of Mt. St. Helens was an explosive eruption. If the composition of the magma is low in silica, it will produce a quiet eruption. The eruption(s) of Mt. Kilauea are quiet eruptions.


What magma composition does Mt Hekla have?

Mt. Hekla in Iceland has a composition of intermediate to felsic magma, which is rich in silica, giving it a higher viscosity compared to basaltic magma. This type of magma can lead to explosive eruptions.

Related Questions

What explosive used in the MK-III Fatman atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki is a predecessor of modern C-4 plastic explosive?

The High VoD explosive was Composition B, which is a combination of TNT and RDX. C-4 is RDX mixed with a plasticizer.A more detail answerThe 2 explosives in MK-III were Composition B (fast) and Baratol (slow) a Navy explosive with Barium Nitrate. This can be checked in SoA Volume 8.Composition A and Composition B are RDX, TNT, and wax based high explosives developed in the 1920s and 1930s. Composition C is an RDX, TNT, stabilizer, and plasticizer based high explosive developed in the 1950s. Modern C-4 is the 4th revision of Composition C - based on Composition B - based on Composition A. C-4's full name is Composition C-4.


What is an C4 bomb?

An explosive device that uses a plastic explosive (Composition C-4) as the explosive. This is a powerful explosive, not sensitive to impact, that resembles gray/white modeling clay. It is based on a material known as RDX that was developed by the British military.


What about magma affects how explosive an eruption will be?

The composition of the magma affects how explosive a volcanic eruption will be.


When was c4 invented?

C4 is a type of plastic explosive. It was first invented by Alfred Nobel in 1875 and was called gelignite.


What type of explosive is widely used by the military and is one of the least sensitive explosives.?

While we use several, you are probably thinking of Composition C4. It is composed of RDX explosive in a mix of a plastic binder. In Great Britain it is called PE-4. It is a low sensitivity explosive with high energy.


Explosive is widely used by the military and is one of the least sensitive explosives?

Composition C-4. It consists of RDX in a plasticizer, and takes significant shock to detonate.


What is in c4?

C4 is basically the explosive called RDX coated in a plastic binder. The role of the plastic binder is to both coat and protect the RDX, and also make the explosive malleable. Think of C4 as just an explosive in a plastic container.


How can the composition of magma affect the way volcano erupts?

If the composition of the magma is high in silica, the eruption will be explosive. The Eruption of Mt. St. Helens was an explosive eruption. If the composition of the magma is low in silica, it will produce a quiet eruption. The eruption(s) of Mt. Kilauea are quiet eruptions.


What made mt st Helens so explosive?

Mount Saint Helens' magma/lava composition is different to many volcanoes and is about 64%silica and 4% water.


Is mt shasta a explosive or a non-explosive volcano?

Mount Shasta is considered a potentially explosive stratovolcano due to its composition of andesite and dacite lava which can lead to explosive eruptions. However, its most recent eruptions have been relatively non-explosive with mainly effusive lava flows.


Who invented C4?

C-4 explosive was developed by the US military in the 1950s. It was created as a replacement for the less stable composition C, with the specific formulation classified as a military secret.


Is yttrium explosive?

Yttrium itself is not explosive. However, yttrium compounds may exhibit explosive properties depending on their chemical composition and reactivity. It is important to handle yttrium compounds with care and adhere to proper safety protocols.