Ch. 16 Explosives

Question 1

brisant

Answer 1

of or relating to the shattering effect from the sudden release of energy in an explosion

Question 2

condensed explosive

Answer 2

an explosive made of a solid or a liquid

Question 3

deflagration

Answer 3

an explosion in which the reaction moves through the explosive at less than the speed of sound

Question 4

detonation

Answer 4

an explosion in which the reaction moves through the explosive at greater than the speed of sound

Question 5

detonator

Answer 5

a device that is used to set off a high explosive

Question 6

dispersed explosive

Answer 6

an explosive made of a gas or an aerosol

Question 7

explosion

Answer 7

a sudden release of mechanical, chemical or nuclear energy

• generates high temperatures
• usually releases gases

Question 8

explosvie

Answer 8

a substance, especially a prepared chemical, that explodes or causes an explosion

Question 9

high explosive

Answer 9

an explosive that when detonated produces a shock wave that travels at a speed greater than 1000 m/s

(ie) military explosives

Question 10

improvised explosive device (IED)

Answer 10

a homemade bomb

Question 11

initiator

Answer 11

any device that is used to start a detonation or a deflagration

Question 12

ion chromatography (IC)

Answer 12

a chromatography method for separating material based on ions

Question 13

ion mobility spectrometer (IMS)

Answer 13

a device that identifies ions by measuring their speed

Question 14

isotope

Answer 14

one of two or more atoms with the same number of protons but differing numbers of neutrons

Question 15

low explosive

Answer 15

an explosive that when detonated produces a shock wave that travels at a speed less than 1000 m/s

(ie) black powder

Question 16

prilling

Answer 16

a production method that produces free-flowing, adsorbent, porous ammonium nitrate spheres (prills) that are easily handled and stored

Question 17

taggant

Answer 17

a substance, such as microscopic pieces of multilayered colored plastic, that is added to an explosive to indicate its source of manufacturer

Question 18

A(n) ____ is a chemical explosion in which the reaction front moves through the explosive at less than the speed of sound.

Answer 18

deflagration

Question 19

A(n) ____ is a chemical explosion in which the reaction front moves through the explosive at greater than the speed of sound.

Answer 19

detonation

Question 20

The chemicals in smokeless powder are _____ and _____.

Answer 20

cordite & ballistite

Question 21

Low explosives will burn, rather than explode, if they are not ______.

Answer 21

confined in some type of container

Question 22

Condensed explosives are either a(n) _____ or a(n) _____.

Answer 22

solid or liquid

Question 23

Dispersed explosives are either a(n) ______ or a(n) ______.

Answer 23

gas or aerosol

Question 24

The most commonly encountered illegal explosive device in the United States is the _____ bomb.

Answer 24

pipe

Question 25

High explosives are categorized into two groups: _____ explosives and _____ explosives.

Answer 25

primary & secondary

Question 26

Explosives that are insensitive to shock, heat, and friction are called _____ high explosives.

Answer 26

secondary

Question 27

Small, porous ammonium nitrate spheres are called _____.

Answer 27

prills

Question 28

The most commonly used explosive in the world is a mixture of _____ and _____.

Answer 28

94% ammonium nitrate & 6% fuel oil ANFO

Question 29

The most widely used military explosive is _____.

Answer 29

cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX)

Question 30

A(n) _____ explosive is one in which a shock wave is formed that shatters the material surrounding it.

Answer 30

brisant

Question 31

The military explosive C-4 contains _____.

Answer 31

90% RDX *other parts = plastic binder material and oil

Question 32

The search of a bomb scene should begin at the site of a(n) _____.

Answer 32

crater

Question 33

Soil and loose debris are best stored in _____ containers.

Answer 33

metal *or plastic bags

Question 34

If a suspect is present at the scene, the investigator should test his or her hands by wiping them with a swab that has been moistened with _____.

Answer 34

acetone

Question 35

The _____ operates the National Explosives Tracing Center.

Answer 35

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives

Question 36

Once in the lab, debris from a bomb scene is first examined using a(n) ______.

Answer 36

microscope

Question 37

The solvent _____ is used to removed organic material from recovered bomb scene debris.

Answer 37

acetone

Question 38

Gas chromatographs that are used for explosive analysis use a(n) _____ detector.

Answer 38

thermal energy analyzer (TEA)

Question 39

The GC detector used by crime labs for explosive detection detects only molecules that contain the element _____.

Answer 39

nitrogen

Question 40

If a mixture of chemicals is used in an explosive device, the substances must be ______ prior to IR analysis.

Answer 40

separated

Question 41

If inorganic chemicals were used to construct a bomb, the inorganic residue can be removed from debris by washing it with _____.

Answer 41

water

Question 42

Materials removed from debris by washing with water can be tested for inorganic residues by means of _____ tests.

Answer 42

spot

Question 43

A confirmatory test for inorganic residues uses _____ chromatography.

Answer 43

ion

Question 44

An ion chromatograph detects the inorganic ions with a(n) ____ detector.

Answer 44

anion

Question 45

Ion chromatography can detect the _____ cation, which is not detected by atomic absorption spectroscopy and is commonly found in bomb debris.

Answer 45

metal

Question 46

The identifiers that are put into manufactured explosives are called _____.

Answer 46

taggants

Question 47

The country that requires taggants in all explosives is ____.

Answer 47

Sweden

Question 48

Atoms of an element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons are called _____.

Answer 48

isotopes

Question 49

A molecule of TNT that contained a deuterium isotope would have a _____ (higher/lower) mass than regular TNT.

Answer 49

higher