- dynamite
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/duy"neuh muyt'/, n., v., dynamited, dynamiting, adj.n.1. a high explosive, originally consisting of nitroglycerin mixed with an absorbent substance, now with ammonium nitrate usually replacing the nitroglycerin.2. any person or thing having a spectacular effect.v.t.3. to blow up, shatter, or destroy with dynamite: Saboteurs dynamited the dam.4. to mine or charge with dynamite.adj.5. Informal. creating a spectacular or optimum effect; great; topnotch: a dynamite idea; a dynamite crew.[1867; < Sw dynamit, introduced by A. B. Nobel, its inventor; see DYNAM-, -ITE1]
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Blasting explosive, patented in 1867 by Alfred P. Nobel.Dynamite is based on nitroglycerin but is much safer to handle than nitroglycerin alone. By mixing the nitroglycerin with kieselguhr, a porous silica-containing earth, in proportions that left an essentially dry and granular material, Nobel produced a solid that was resistant to shock but readily explodable by heat or sudden impact. Later, wood pulp was substituted as the absorbent, and sodium nitrate was added as an oxidizing agent to increase the strength of the explosive.* * *
blasting explosive, patented in 1867 by the Swedish physicist Alfred Nobel (Nobel, Alfred Bernhard). Dynamite is based on nitroglycerin but is much safer to handle than nitroglycerin alone. By mixing the nitroglycerin with kieselguhr, a porous siliceous earth, in proportions that left an essentially dry and granular material, Nobel produced a solid that was resistant to shock but readily detonable by heat or percussion. Later, wood pulp was substituted as the absorbent, and sodium nitrate was added as an oxidizing agent to increase the strength of the explosive. Nobel also invented gelatinous dynamite, a mixture of nitrocellulose and nitroglycerin. Ammonium nitrate was later substituted for part of the nitroglycerin to give a safer and less expensive explosive called extra dynamite. See also explosive.* * *
Universalium. 2010.
