During the beginning stages of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, many of us were using our time in quarantine to practice new hobbies such as baking bread, making whipped coffee, or hoarding toilet paper. For students and researchers at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York, however, time in quarantine took a more explosive turn. In his article "This Chemist’s Pandemic Hobby? Firing Medieval Cannonballs" for the New York Times, author William Broad chronicles Dr. Dawn Reigner and her team as they tested different medieval recipes for gunpowder to discover what causes the most reactive explosions - and further understand how this chemical innovation changed the course of history forever.
The commonly known, tried and true recipe for gunpowder has consisted of saltpeter (potassium nitrate), carbon, and sulfur. These ingredients create an exothermic reaction that is used to propel bullets, cannonballs, and other similar weapons. Recipes date back centuries and all include these three main ingredients. Interestingly, there are medieval records of less common ingredients being added to the mixture such as brandy, vinegar, and quicklime were added in small quantities. Dr. Reigner and her team decided to test these additions to find the recipe for the most efficient gunpowder.
Dr. Reigner's group noted that in trying to create more effective explosions that were safe for the user, recipes were tweaked so as to lower the heat of combustion to safer levels while still having a large enough blast to damage structures and maim enemies. The researchers noted the changes over time and compared them to their own bomb calorimeter data.
A very interesting topic. The title is certainly provocative. A sub title to connect it to the pandemic quarantine might have been a good idea. Like, "Bombs Away: One Way to Relieve Quaranteen Boredom." The chemical explanation is good. The equation and plots make their points. I might have added the opening figure of the original article. Very medieval. I like the opening paragraph particularly. Very engaging. Overall a very good post.
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