Word War Ii Bombs

[Khandro]

What were the main elements (of the periodic table) that were used in the manufacture of WWII bombs please?

[Calibax]

Iron/Carbon (steel)

[Calibax]

Explosives would have contained Carbon/Hydrogen/Oxygen/Nitrogen

[Buenchico]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blockbuster_bomb

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tallboy_(bomb)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Slam_(bomb)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incendiary_device#Development_and_use_in_World_War_II

[EDDIE51]

The main explosive was Ammonium Nitrate and TNT ,
( Tri Nitro Toluene)
Ammonium Nitrate is comprised of Ammonia Nitrogen and Oxygen.
TNT is an organic (Carbon based) compound with Nitrogen and Oxygen.
TNT formula here
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Trinitrotoluene
Ammonium Nitrate (Saltpeter) here
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/ammonium_nitrate

[EDDIE51]

I accidentally made some TNT in my early days in a Chemistry lab, the supervisor had to tip it down the sink well diluted with water !

[Khandro]

Thanks, would the element argon have had any role to play in bomb making - an obscure question I know, but I have reason to ask.

[kvalidir]

You're not trying to make a bomb are you Khandro? It's terrible when Poundland have all that cheap Argon and you're trying to think of something to do with it...

[douglas9401]

Poundland? I'd have expected to find it at Argos.

[douglas9401]

I wonder if we've just unwittingly joined the 5am raid club. :(

[Mamyalynne]

Argon has many uses, not sure re Bombs etc - doubtful unless in trace quantities.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argon

[Buenchico]

Argon, like all noble gases, is inert, so it could have no direct use in creating an explosion.

[Khandro]

Calibax //Explosives would have contained Carbon/Hydrogen/Oxygen/Nitrogen //
Of those four do you know which would be the most abundant.

Kvalidir; No I'm not making a bomb, I'm making an artwork, - but don't ask :0)

[Calibax]

^Probably carbon but it could vary. For example the empirical formula (relative ratios) of TNT is C7H5N3O6.

[Old_Geezer]

Glad to hear it Chris, or else that welding I did during my apprenticeship might have had unfortunate consequences :-)

[EDDIE51]

Argon is an inert gas it has no place in an explosive.
The only possible use I can think of that may have to do with constructing a bomb casing, is that it is so inert it is used as a shield gas for some specialized types of welding. It prevents Oxidation / burning of the metal during the welding process. Possibly a bomb casing may need welding under an Argon shield.

[EDDIE51]

Argon shield welding
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shielding_gas

[theprof]

EDDIE51, Ammonium Nitrate is not Saltpeter/Saltpetre. That would be Potassium Nitrate.

As a lad, I used to buy Saltpeter by the lb in a town centre chemist (no "pharmacies" about in those days). The proprietor always asked me what I wanted it for and he was happy to accept my explanation that it was to take the experiments in my "Merit" chemistry set a step farther. He was already in the process of scooping the stuff into a paper bag as I explained, grinning as he did so.

Copper sulphate was similarly freely available as was Muriatic Acid, Sal Ammoniac and not forgetting Waterglass in tins, ostensibly used to preseve eggs. We young scientists never had it so good!

[Peter Pedant]

muriatic acid - sal volatile
Jesus what century are you in
and did you know Mr Dalton of Manchester ?

CHON - I think covers it ( azote is now called nitrogen)

Look up Mother of Satan - TATP
explodes by a new new new process - entropy burst
products incredibly - ozone and acetone

[theprof]

Peter Pedant, come off it. You're not fooling us that you are that young!

I'm talking about the last century - the 20th if I have to spell it out. Let's be a bit more specific - 1968 would be specifically the year I was referring too.

I've no need to look up anything my friend - I'm an Oxbridge science dean with D.Phil's, PhD's and DSC's in chemistry, organic chemistry, botany, biology and biochemistry. I learnt about Mr Dalton from a tectbook just like you.

Regretfully, your final paragraph is incorrect. I suggest you review your resource.

Are you really going to profess that YOU weren't around in 1968?

[theprof]

Incidentally, don't talk to me about explosives. I've been seconded as a government advisor in the field of biological warfare for more years than I can remember and I'm thoroughly familiar with the subject.

Take a look at some of my previous posts.