Powerpoint Notes for Presentation on Thursday.

These are the note's of the presentation for Thursday. I'am going to run a fine tooth comb through them tomorrow and make sure it's to the point and very specific, and most of all fit into the 10 minute time slot we have. The presentation has been split into 10 slides, with Sub headings.

Powerpoint Notes for Gunpowder Presentation 

Slide 1 - Title of Presentation

Slide 2 - Composition of Gunpowder ?

Saltpetre (Potassium Nitrate - KNO3 75%)

Which forms naturally on the soil surface in hot climates. Imported from India via Venice in Medieval Times. In the second half of the 17th century directly into Britain in larger quantities.

A new method was discovered in the 19th century to create potassium nitrate by using ‘Chile Saltpetre’ (Sodium Nitrate)

Charcoal 15%

Is created by burning wood. Two tons of wood usually produce enough charcoal for one ton of powder.

Sulphur 10%

Imported from sicily. Though it is argued that some was refined from the copperas (iron sulphate, or iron pyrites found in the cliffs at Tankerton.

When Gunpowder or (Black Powder) as it’s currently known, the oxygen from the nitrate enables the sulphur and the carbon to burn rapidly, forming a mixture of hot gases containing mainly sulphur dioxide and carbon dioxide, so that there is a large, and rapid increase in volume.

Making Gunpowder

Most early gunpowder which came to be known as serpentine, was not, however, very successful, It was finely, but not evenly, powdered so that it burnt irregularly; if fouled firearms after only a few rounds because it was dusty and left such a heavy deposition burning besides producing a lot of nasty smoke.

Slide 3 - The History of Gunpowder ?

The most authoritative modern view is that gunpowder was first made in China, in the middle of the 900 AD by Thang Alchemists who were actually looking for the elixir of immortality - one of most remarkable examples of inventing one thing while trying to find something else. I wasn’t until 1004 AD that gunpowder started to have a specific mention.

Roger Bacon in the 1200s was the first to reveal the composition of Gunpowder to the World. He hid it for many years, not thinking people who be ready for a formula so big as this being revealed.

It first came into Britain in 1352.

People obviously thought that the invention of gunpowder during that time was to big to be revealed to the nation. This research obviously shows that people were scared of it’s powder, what it is capable to do, and what could happen if it was put into the wrong hands.

In 1558 Queen Elizabeth I granted gunpowder to start being made in Britain.

During the late 1500s to early 1600’s gunpowder was booming in Britain.

In 1605 Gunpowder Plot was attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament.

In 1625 King Charles ordered his men to enter any premises and acquire any materials which could be needed in the making of Gunpowder.

In 1792 The British Naval blockade made France entirely rely on home production of gunpowder.

In 1809 Sulphur was recognised as an element.

The Civil War brought surges to the sales of Gunpowder around 1860.

Powder Trust was formed in 1872 + Gunpowder is replaced with TNT and Nitroglycerine.

Explosives Act Formed in 1875 and new gunpowder mixtures were starting to be formed.

The gunpowder industry fell on very bad times after the Crimean War around 1856, so stayed on the market until 1890.

In 1914 The first world war breaks out, making gun powder to be made at very fast rate.

In 1916 TNT replaces Lyddite.

In 1939 The Second world war breaks out, resulting in countries heavily rationing, creating arm supplies out of anything factories could get there hands on and also women making gunpowder in factories, in quick demand.

1900’s Liquid Oxygen Explosives were made.

1950 ANFO - Ammonium Nitrate 

1992 Saw ICI produce a number of very successful - non explosives.

20th - present Plastic Explosives, C4, Atom Bomb, Nuclear Warfare, Hydrogen Bomb.

Slide 4 - When was it First used ?

Gunpowder is used in Cannons, although it is used in other things like shells, bullets, cartridges but under different modifications, for instance Cynite which has the basis of gunpowder but, like all the modifications has been slightly modified, having the composition changed to suit it’s use. 

Entertainment uses, such as fireworks, bangers, fire crackers. Fireworks link back to Bonfire night on the 5 Nov, when bonfire night is celebrated.

Used in China for primarily Fireworks and celebrations.

Used in Greece and Italy and Britain to fight with.

Slide 5 - The Health Issue's of Gunpowder ?

The Health issues of using gunpowder or making it is getting TNT poisoning. or if sulphur is inhaled into the respiratory system of the human body. The lungs can begin to bleed so to will the throat. Which will make it difficult to breath, causing death. Respirators had to be worn in many factories to protect the skin from turing yellow due to the inhalation of jaundice in TNT poisoning. People who contracted this disease were known as ‘canaries’.

Deaths were caused also when fires were not kept contained in safe areas resulting in explosions and deaths in factories. 108 people died in an explosion when 15 tones of TNT exploded in Cotton Powder Co. in Faversham. 69 of the dead are buried in a communal grave which is still a dignified feature of the Faversham Borough Cemetery.

Slide 6 - Gunpowder Modifications ?

Gunpowder is obviously the base of all explosives due to the invention from the chinese in 1000AD. Gunpowder Modifications were needed due to the ever demanding requirements of the Military, Sportsmen, Miners, Civil Engineers and Fireworks and Fuse manufacturers.

The Main ends were more power, greater safety, lower cost, a lower burning temperature, and less smoke. Some optimist’s even hoped for noiseless powders. Quote by Peter Whitehorne: ‘There be many who bring up lie’s, saying that they can tell how to make powder that shooting gunnes shall make no noise, the which is impossible’.

Name a few explosive examples: Gunpowder, Earthquake Powder, TNT, Carbonite, Kinetite. Explosives Act of 1875 stopped people from Making any mixture of Gunpowder and selling it to the general public. First testing gallery for new mixture was built in Woolwich in 1897, and a bigger one in Rotherham in 1911. 

1900’s Liquid Oxygen Explosives were made.

1950 ANFO - Ammonium Nitrate 

1992 Saw ICI produce a number of very successful - non explosives.

20th - present Plastic Explosives, C4, Atom Bomb, Nuclear Warfare, Hydrogen Bomb

Slide 7 - Environmental Issue's ?

The invention is also harmful to the environment, due to pollution of the plants and factories making the explosive substances. Harmful to the atmosphere, green house gases. Trees are cut down for charcoal, so forests are destroyed, Animals loose there homes. Also War in which it is used destroys peoples town, lives, animals lives and the world around us.

Slide 8 - Gunpowder in the 20th Century ?

Primarily used in Warfare. 

Used by the British Armed Forces

Entertainment purposes in Fireworks, Banner, Rockets etc

People see testing of new 20th century warfare and explosives as a successful thing, were as some people see testing in the 20th century as barbaric and not needed. When bombs have been created to destroy a whole area the size of America in one go it is terrifying that we actually hold something like that on this planet.

Plastic Explosives, C4, TNT, Cordite, Atom Bombs, Nuclear and Atomic Warfare.

Production of Explosives is of course much safer now a days, due to the tighter Health and Safety regulations. It is also much for eco friendly, with better machinery producing lots more in shorter spaces of time, therefore no polluting the atmosphere in the short term. However in the long run the world is still being polluted by factories not just the one’s producing explosives. 

Slide 9 - Gunpowder a Good or Bad Invention ?

So was gunpowder a good or bad invention, take your pick ? Neither is the real Answer!

Gunpowder can destroy or create, and the blame or the credit for what it achieves rests on the shoulders of the human beings who make use of it’s enormous power. Quote by Thomas Carlyle, he listed gunpowder along with printing and the Protestant religion, as ‘one of the three great elements of modern civilisation’.

Quote by William Cobbett, linked it with bank notes as ‘one of the two most damnable inventions that ever sprang from the minds of men under the influence of the devil’.

Slide 10 - How Gunpowder has Influenced the World ?

Summarise all the benefits of Gunpowder. It enabled Weapons to work in the way they do presently. War’s to be won. Children to see their first firework. To enabled bricks to be made and in turn into peoples homes. Culturally it enabled countries to develop their unique origin from China’s Fireworks, to British Medieval History to America’s Nuclear Power. Quote by Alfred Nobel: he said “That old mixture posses a truly admirable elasticity which permits it’s adaption to purposes of the most vital nature, in a mind to blast without propelling, in a gun to propel, in a shell it serves both purposes combined, in a fuse, as in fire works. But like servant it lacks perfection in each department, and modern science armed with better tools, is gradually encroaching on it’s old domain. So in the end , after something like 600 years in the western world, it was ‘Goodbye to Gunpowder’ as a Major explosive”.

See you guys soon, Adam.