High explosive

A material that releases chemical energy through a rapidly propagating detonation, producing a shock wave and high pressure.

Detonation: A supersonic reaction front coupled to a shock wave that travels through an energetic material. High explosives release energy through this self-sustaining reaction front.
Chemical explosive: A substance or mixture that releases stored chemical energy rapidly, producing heat and expanding gases. High explosives are a detonation-driven subset of chemical explosives.
Trinitrotoluene: An aromatic nitro compound widely known as TNT and used as a military explosive. TNT is a familiar high explosive used as a reference for explosive energy.
Low explosive: An energetic material that typically burns rapidly by deflagration rather than detonating under ordinary conditions. Its slower reaction distinguishes it from high explosive materials.
Explosive safety: Practices and engineering controls that reduce risks from explosive materials and operations. High explosives require safeguards against accidental initiation and blast effects.
Detonation velocity: The speed at which a detonation front travels through an explosive material. It helps characterize how rapidly a high explosive propagates its reaction.
Explosive decomposition: A rapid chemical breakdown that releases energy and gaseous products. The decomposition reaction supplies the energy behind a high explosive's detonation.
RDX: A powerful nitramine explosive used in military compositions and munitions. RDX illustrates the high-performance materials used in military explosive formulations.
Propellant: A material that produces expanding gases to propel an object, generally through controlled combustion. Propellants are designed for sustained gas production rather than destructive detonation.
Blast injury: Physical harm caused by pressure waves, fragments, displacement, or other effects of an explosion. Detonation can injure people through several distinct mechanisms.

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