Dynamite

Lore & Background

Dynamite was invented by Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel in 1866 and was the first safely manageable explosive stronger than black powder. Nobel originally intended to sell it under the name 'Nobel's Safety Powder', but later changed the name to dynamite, from the Ancient Greek word dýnamis, meaning 'power'. The invention allowed the use of nitroglycerine's favorable explosive properties while greatly reducing its risk of accidental detonation.

Reader's Guide

Dynamite is usually sold in the form of cardboard cylinders about 200 mm long and about 32 mm in diameter, with a mass of about 190 grams. A stick contains roughly 1 MJ of energy. It is usually rated by 'weight strength' (the amount of nitroglycerin it contains), usually from 20% to 60%. The maximum shelf life is recommended as one year from manufacture under good storage conditions. Over time, sticks may 'weep' nitroglycerin, so boxes should be regularly upended. Dynamite is moderately sensitive to shock.

Did You Know?

• Dynamite was patented in England on 7 May 1867 and in Sweden on 19 October 1867.
• Nobel used diatomaceous earth from the Elbe River near his factory in Hamburg to stabilize nitroglycerin into a portable explosive.
• The largest producer of dynamite for several decades beginning in the 1940s was the Union of South Africa.
• Dynamite has never been popular in warfare because it degenerates quickly under severe conditions and can be detonated by fire or a wayward bullet.