Explosive Quiz Crafted by –
MD Shahbaz Alam
Assistant Director
Forensic Science laboratory
Patna, Bihar
Introduction to Explosives
An explosive (or explosive material) is a
reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that can
produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the
production of light, heat, sound, and pressure. Explosive materials are
energetic substances, when released into the environment, contaminate by posing
toxic hazards to environment and biota. Throughout the world, soils are
contaminated by such contaminants either due to manufacturing operations,
military activities, conflicts of different levels, open burning/open
detonation (OB/OD), dumping of munitions etc. Among different forms of chemical
explosives, 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT),
hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX), and octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-
1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX) are most common.
Let’s have a look on answers of the
quiz questions along with their explanation.
Que 1.
The shock and noise produced during explosion is called,
a. Deflagration
b. Detonations,
c. Brisance
d. sonic explosion
Answer – (c) Brisance
Explanation -Brisance
is the shattering capability of a high explosive, determined mainly by its
detonation pressure. The term can be traced from the French verb
"briser" (to break or shatter) ultimately derived from the Celtic
word "brissim" (to break).
Que 2. Which is not an example of primary high explosive is
a. Lead azide
b. Mercury fulminate
c. RDX
d. None
Answer – (c) RDX
Explanation- Primary-high explosives are
very sensitive, can be detonated easily and are generally used only in
percussion and electrical detonators. Secondary-high explosives are less
sensitive, require a high-energy shock wave to achieve detonation and are safer
to handle. Mercury fulminate, picric
acid, lead azide, nitroglycerine and iodine nitride are examples of
primary explosives. Secondary-high
explosives are less sensitive, require a high-energy shock wave to
achieve detonation and are safer to handle. Secondary-high
explosives are used in almost all elements of a ballistic chain, other
than the detonator, such as in detonating cord and shaped charges. TNT, dynamite, hexogen, HMX and Torpex are examples of
secondary explosives.
Que 3.
Gries reagent test for Nitroglycerine produce
a. Red colour
b. Green color
c. Pink colour
d. Grey colour
Answer – (c) Pink colour
Explanation –The
Griess test involves two subsequent reactions. When sulfanilamide is added, the
nitrite ion reacts with it in the Griess diazotization reaction to form a
diazonium salt, which then reacts with N-(1-naphthyl)ethylenediamine in an azo
coupling reaction, forming a pink-red azo dye.
Que 4. Dynamite
a. Is an initiating device
b. Is a mixture containing
Nitroglycerine in kieselguhr
c. Deflagrate when ignited.
d. Produce escaping gas
Answer – (b) Is a mixture
containing Nitroglycerine in kieselguhr
Explanation–Dynamite
is an explosive made of nitroglycerin, sorbents (such as powdered shells or
clay) and stabilizers. Mixing nitroglycerine, an oily fluid, with kieselguhr,
the mixture could be turned into a paste. This material could be kneaded and
shaped into rods suitable for insertion into drilling holes. Today, dynamite is mainly used in the
mining, quarrying, construction, and demolition industries. Dynamite is still
the product of choice for trenching applications, and as a cost-effective
alternative to cast boosters. Dynamite is occasionally used as an initiator or
booster for AN and ANFO explosive charges.
Que 5. The oxidizing
agent found in black powder is
a. Nitrocellulose.
b. Potassium nitrate.
c. Sulfur.
d. Nitroglycerine
Answer
–(b) Potassium nitrate.
Explanation
–In
black powder, charcoal and sulphur are the fuel, and postassium nitrate (KNO3)
is the oxidizing agent.
Que 6. The screen
test which is presumptive identification of an explosive is
a. Thin-layer chromatography
b. HPLC
c. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
d. IR spectrophotometry
Answer
– (a) Thin-layer chromatography
Explanation - TLC
of drugs and explosives is used as a presumptive test, a means to provide an
indication of the nature of the sample, rather than being used for positive
identification of a sample. It is useful because many of the colour change
presumptive tests used will only provide an indication of a certain active
group in the molecule. For example with explosives the Greiss reagent (a colour
change presumptive test) will normally indicate that a nitrate or nitrite group
is present whereas with TLC it is possible to differentiate between different
nitrate and nitrite containing compounds as they can have different Rf values
and react to produce different coloured bands with the visualisation reagent.
Que 7. In recent
years, dynamite has been replaced commercially by
a.
RDX
b.
Nitroglycerine
c.
Ammonium nitrate based explosive
d.
TATP
Answer
– (c) Ammonium nitrate based explosive
Explanation
-In recent years,
dynamite has been replaced commercially by ammonium nitrate-based explosives
that is, water gels, emulsions, and ANFO explosives.
Que 8. The high
explosive which could not be detected by Sniffer Dogs is/are
a. RDX
b. HMX
c.
PETN
d.
All
Answer
–(b) HMX
Explanation -A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that
is trained to use its senses to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones. The sense
most used by detection dogs is smell. The smell from the detection dogs are more enhanced
than the average dog.
Que 9.
During custody of Baba Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh, his follower used explosive in
large scale .Type of explosive used is this case was,
a.
High Explosive
b.
Gun Powder
c.
Molotov cocktail
d. IED
Answer
– (c) Molotov cocktail
Explanation
–A
Molotov cocktail is a breakable glass bottle containing a flammable substance
such as petrol (gasoline), alcohol, or a napalm-like mixture, with some motor
oil added, and usually a source of ignition such as a burning cloth wick held
in place by the bottle’s stopper.
Que 10.
Main explosive charge in Military Hand Grenade is,
a.
TNT
b. RDX
c.
PETN
d. HMX
Answer
– (a) TNT
Explanation
– Grenade,
small explosive, chemical, or gas bomb that is used at short range. The grenades most
commonly used in wartime are explosive grenades, which usually consist of
a core of TNT or some other high explosive encased in an iron jacket or
container. Such grenades have a fuse that detonates the explosive either on impact or after
a brief (usually four-second) time delay that is long enough for the grenade to
be accurately thrown but is too brief for enemy soldiers to toss the grenade
back once it has landed among them. A common type of explosive grenade is
the fragmentation grenade, whose iron body, or case, is designed to break
into small, lethal, fast-moving fragments once the TNT core explodes. Such
grenades usually weigh no more than 2 pounds (0.9 kg). Explosive hand grenades
are used for attacking the personnel in foxholes, trenches, bunkers, pillboxes,
or other fortified positions and in street fighting.
Que 11. Which
explosive is known as Borderline Explosive?
a. TNT
b. RDX
c.
PETN
d. HMX
Answer
– (c) PETN
Explanation
–PETN
(PentaerythritolTrinitrate ) is one of the most powerful explosives and is very
difficult to detect. Due to its plastic nature, the explosive can easily pass
metal detectors and security check points.PETN is non-metallic so it does not
show up in x-ray machines. Also the bomb-sniffing dogs cannot detect it because
of its low pressure molecules.
Que 12. Tetra Acetone
Tetra Peroxide (TATAP) is also known as “Mother of Saitan” because
a. It is very sensitive and can explode
in work place
b. It is very difficult to detect it
after explosion
c. Both a and b
d. None
Answer
– (c) Both a and b
Explanation
-
A key disadvantage is the high susceptibility
of TATP to accidental detonation, causing workplace accidents and
"own goals" among illegal bomb-makers, which has led
to TATP being referred to as the "Mother of
Satan".
Que 13. Which of the
organ is commonly affected by shock waves?
a. Heart
b. Lungs
c. Brain
d. Liver
Answer
–(b) Lungs
Explanation – The lungs are easily affected by
shock waves because they are air-containing5air-containing. Due to
overpressure, the pulmonary capillaries are expanded and moved instantaneously.
The overpressure also causes alveolar wall and capillary rupture.
Que 14. This is used
in Molotov cocktail:
a. Arsenic
b. Gasoline
c. Phosphorous
d. Magnesium
Answer
–(b) Gasoline
Explanation
- A Molotov cocktail is a breakable glass bottle
containing a flammable substance such as petrol (gasoline), alcohol,
or a napalm-like mixture, with some motor oil added, and usually a source of
ignition such as a burning cloth wick held in place by the bottle's stopper.
Que 15. I.E.D. means:
a. Indian Explosive Devices
b. Internal Explosive Devices
c. Improvised Explosive Devices
d. International Explosive Devices
Answer
– (c) Improvised Explosive Devices
Explanation
–An
improvised explosive device (IED) is a bomb constructed and deployed in ways
other than in conventional military action. It may be constructed of
conventional military explosives, such as an artillery shell, attached to a
detonating mechanism. IEDs are commonly used as roadside bombs.