WEEK 8: GUN POWDER AND EXPLOSIVES

EXPLOSIVE–any substance that may cause an explosion by its sudden decomposition or

combustion. A material either a pure single substance or a mixture of substances that is capable
of producing an explosion by its energy. When exploded always accompanied by the liberation
of heat and almost by the formation of gas.
History of Explosives
• During the Tang Dynasty (618-906 AD) in the 9th century, Taoist Chinese alchemists were
eagerly trying to find the elixir of immortality.
• In the process, they stumbled upon the explosive invention of black powder made from coal,
saltpeter, and sulfur in 1044.
• Gunpowder was the first form of chemical explosives and by 1161, the Chinese were using
explosives for the first time in warfare.
• The Chinese would incorporate explosives fired from bamboo or bronze tubes known as
bamboo firecrackers.
• The Chinese also inserted live rats inside the bamboo firecrackers; when fired toward the
enemy, the flaming rats created great psychological ramifications scaring enemy soldiers away
and causing cavalry units to go wild.

TYPES OF EXPLOSIVES
1. Mechanical– such as those caused by expansion of gas producing high pressure beyond the
capacity of the container.
Example: Gasoline in a container
2. Atomic- resulting from atomic transformation. Example: Nuclear fusion or fission
3. Chemical – produced through the extremely rapid transformation of the unstable substance
accompanied
CLASSIFICATION OF EXPLOSIVES (functioning characteristics)
1. Low Explosives (Propellants)are low burning and are used mainly as propellants, like black
powder and smokeless powder.
Examples: blackpowder, smokeless powder, pyrotechnics (fireworks), and firecrackers (triangle,
kwites, sinturonni Judas)
[Link] or Initiating Explosives (Indicators)is extremely sensitive to detonation by heat,
shock, friction, and impact, they detonate without burning. Sometimes they do not even contain
the elements necessary for combustion.
The materials themselves explode and the explosion results whether they are confined or not.
Examples: mercury fulminate and lead azide
[Link] Explosives –explode under the influence of the shock of the explosion of a primary
explosive. They do not function by burning, not all of them can be ignited by a flame, and in a
small amount generally burn quietly and can be extinguished easily. If heated to a high
temperature by external heat or by their combustion, they sometimes explode.
Examples:
Ammonium nitrate (AN)– is the most readily available and cheapest salt of nitric acid. The
white compound is used as a solid oxidizer in an explosive mixture.
Dynamite – made by mixing nitroglycerine with powdered clay or sawdust.
TNT– or trinitrotoluene, is the most widely used explosive. Used mostly for military
explosives. A safe explosive. It will burn but does not explode if set on fire.
Nitroglycerine (NG)– is widely used in industrial explosives. Has been the main component in
many dynamites. It is a mixture of nitric acid, sulfuric acid, and glycerine. The oily liquid is very
dangerous because the slightest shake will cause it to explode.
Plastic Explosive– a military explosive that looks like ordinary putty or molding clay. Military
explosives are chiefly solids or mixtures so formulated as to be solid at normal temperature of
use.
CLASSIFICATION OF EXPLOSIVES (chemical composition)
A. Inorganic Compound Examples: Lead azide Pb(N); Ammonium nitrate NH4 NO3
B. Organic Compound Examples: Trinitrotoluene (TNT); picric acid (trinitrophenol);
nitrocellulose; mercury fulminate Hg(ONC)
C. A mixture of oxidizable materials and oxidizing agents that are not explosives separately
Examples: Blackpowder – used today mainly as an igniter for nitrocellulose gun propellants and
also in pyrotechnics.

Types of gunpowder
1. Single based - when the basic ingredient is nitrocellulose.
2. Double based - nitrocellulose + 1 to 40% nitroglycerine.
3. Triple based - nitrocellulose + nitroglycerine + nitroguanidine.
These can be differentiate using a mass spectrophotometer.
Types of powder used in the ammunition of small firearms
There are two types of powder used in the ammunition of small firearms. These are:
1. Black Powder
this consists of a mixture of carbon (charcoal), sulfur and potassium nitrate. This mixture is used
as an igniter in smokeless gun propellant. It consists of a mixture of 15% charcoal, 10% sulfur
and 75% potassium nitrates. Aluminum is added to enhance the burning property. When this
powder is burned, combustion reaction takes place:
2KNO2 + 202 +S+C CO2 + SO2 + K202 + 2NO2
2. Smokeless Powder
this mixture consists of cellulose or glycerol nitrate combined with some stabilizers
(nitrobenzene of graphite nitrates, dichromate and oxalates). When this powder explodes, the
chemical reaction takes place cellulose nitrates:
C12H1404(NO3)6 + 6H2O + 3N2 + 4CO2 + 8CO + H2
Glycerol nitrate: C3H5(NO3)3+CO3+H2O+N2+02

In the investigation of crimes involving the use of firearms, three most important problems
may arise:
- Determination of whether or not a person has fired a gun with his bare hands within a pertinent
period of time.
- Determination of the probable gunshot range, which is the distance the firearm was held from
the body of the victim at the time of discharge.
- Determination of the approximate time of firing of the gun or the approximate date of last
discharge.
DETECTION OF GUNSHOT RESIDUE
The following are common methods used by most crime laboratories to detect gunshot residue:
1. Paraffin test
2. Lead residue (detection limit: up to 30 feet and always present on the opposite sides of the
penetrated target)/ reported from intermediate glass target present.
3. Gunpowder residue examination (detection limit: highly variable up to 20cm and up to 21
inches is common)
4. other examinations

PARAFFIN TEST (Dermal Nitrate test or Diphenylamine test or Lunge’s test) – a test to
determine whether a person fired a gun or not with his bare hands.
Positive Result – Deep blue specks develop when nitrates comes in contact with DPA reagent.
PROCEDURE
A. Heat the paraffin wax in a container until it melts. Allow cooling for a few minutes so that it
will not burn the skin.
B. Let the subject wash his hands with water without using any soap or detergent. Wipe the
hands of the subject with clean absorbent cotton.
C. Let the subject place his hands on a clean sheet of bond paper with the palms facing
downward and the fingers closed together. Using a spoon or tong with cotton, pour the melted
paraffin wax on the hands of the subject from the thumb and index fingers and the dorsal portion
to the little finger side of the hands.
D. Cover the hands and fingers thoroughly with paraffin wax and place a thin layer of absorbent
cotton to reinforce the wax.
E. Pour another layer of the wax until the absorbent cotton has totally absorbed the wax.
F. Allow the wax to cool and solidify before peeling them off.
G. When cool, direct the subject to move his fingers first and slowly moving his hands out from
the casts.
H. Place on the bond paper the case number, name of the subject, time and date, technician who
took the cast, witnesses and label the right and left hand.
I. Place another bond paper on top of the paraffin casts and staple together.
J. Place the paraffin casts inside an envelope or a box for proper preservation.
Note:
It must be noted that upon casting, the melted paraffin wax penetrates the minute crevices of the
skin thus, the burned and partially burned gunpowder nitrates which are embedded on the hands
of the shooter are extracted. Upon application of Diphenylamine (DPA) reagent on the paraffin
casts, the appearance of "tailing deep blue specks" indicates the presence of gunpowder nitrates.
Gunshot Range (GSR) Determination (Also known as gunshot distance determination)
When a firearm is discharged, gunpowder residue may also be deposited on the clothing of the
victim. The size and density of the pattern of gunpowder residue found on the clothing are the
main factors considered in determining the approximate distance of the shooter to the victim. As
the distance to the victim increases; the size of pattern expands while density decreases and vice-
versa.
DISTANCE DETERMINATION
The method of determining the distance between the firearm and the target. This is usually based
on the distance of the powder patterns or the spread of the shot pattern.
Importance of Distance Determination
1. In connection to self-defense pleas
2. In the distinction between murder and suicide. It is possible to state with certainty the distance
of the gun from the target by means of the patterns and residues left on the target. Not only the
type of gun, but also the condition and type of ammunition that will affect this pattern.
In ascertaining the gunshot range (GSR) the examiner should note and observe the following:
1. Entrance and Exit holes
2. Powder residue pattern (Burning, singeing, smudging, tattooing a black coarsely - peppered
pattern)
Entrance and Exit holes:
Entrance hole contains gunpowder residue (bullet wipe residue) and it is slightly burned.
- The diameter of entrance hole is smaller than the exit hole.
-The exit hole is frayed outward while entrance hole is inward.
Grazing bullet hole (several small holes created from a folded garment)
CLASSIFICATION OF GUNSHOT DISTANCE
✓ Burning (direct) Singeing (1 to 2 inches)

✓ Smudging (2 to 8 inches) Tattooing (8 to 18 inches)

The distance of the muzzle of the gun to the target is classified into three (3):
1. Direct contact
2. 2 inches to 36 inches away
3. 36 inches away or more

POSSIBILITIES THAT A PERSON MAYBE FOUND NEGATIVE EVEN IF HE

ACTUALLY FIRED A GUN:
- Use of automatic pistol
- Direction of wind
- Wind velocity
- Excessive perspiration
- Use of gloves
- Knowledge of chemicals that will remove the nitrates