Black powder

Black powder is a low explosive made chiefly from potassium nitrate, charcoal, and sulfur. It burns rapidly to produce hot gas and solid reaction products.

Potassium nitrate: An inorganic salt that supplies oxygen in many combustion and pyrotechnic mixtures. It serves as the oxidizer that enables black powder to burn without drawing oxygen from the air.
Chinese gunpowder: Early gunpowder formulations developed in China, initially used in incendiary and explosive devices. The mixture emerged from Chinese experiments with saltpeter, sulfur, and carbonaceous fuels.
Matchlock: An early firearm ignition system that used a slowly burning match to ignite its powder charge. Matchlocks made black powder practical in portable firearms.
Smokeless powder: A family of propellants based mainly on nitrocellulose, designed to produce less smoke and residue than black powder. It replaced black powder in most modern firearms because it produces less residue and more gas per unit mass.
Gunpowder warfare: Military conflict shaped by firearms, artillery, and other weapons powered by gunpowder. Black powder made sustained firearm and cannon use possible on a large scale.
Charcoal: A carbon-rich solid produced by heating organic material with limited oxygen. Its carbon-rich material acts as the principal fuel in the mixture.
Fire lance: A medieval Chinese weapon combining a spear with a tube that discharged flame and projectiles. It shows an early transition from gunpowder incendiaries to firearms.
Muzzleloader: A firearm loaded through the open end of its barrel. Traditional muzzleloaders use black powder as propellant and often as part of the projectile charge.
Pyrodex: A modern black-powder substitute formulated for use in many firearms designed for black powder. It imitates black powder's use while differing in composition and handling properties.
Siege warfare: Military operations aimed at capturing fortified positions through encirclement, assault, or bombardment. Gunpowder artillery changed how attackers breached and defenders designed fortifications.

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