How did nitroglycerin crystallize? If a thin layer be spread upon a hard surface and struck sharply with a hammer it explodes violently; under favourable conditions it is more sensitive to explo-sion by a blow than even mercuric fulminate. It freezes (or crystallizes, in six-sided prisms) at about 40° F., and slowly liquefies again at 50°.
Full Answer
Is nitroglycerin the same as TNT?
You’ve probably heard people say “TNT” and “dynamite” in a conversation as though they were the same thing. Instead, the active explosive in dynamite is a chemical called nitroglycerin. Nitroglycerin was first made in 1847 by Italian chemist Ascanio Sobrero — not by Alfred Nobel.
How explosive is nitroglycerin exactly?
- TNT has an RE factor of 1 as it is the baseline that all other explosives are compared to.
- C4 has an RE factor of 1.34
- Nitroglycerin has an RE of 1.5
What to know about nitroglycerin?
Severe side effects that healthcare professionals associate with a nitroglycerin overdose include:
- a sudden drop in blood pressure
- increased heart rate
- increased blood flow and pressure in the brain
- throbbing headaches
- confusion
- dizziness
- disturbances in vision
What is the formula for nitroglycerin?
Nitroglycerin. Molecular Formula C 3 H 5 N 3 O 9; Average mass 227.087 Da; Monoisotopic mass 227.002579 Da; ChemSpider ID 4354
How did glycerin crystalize?
It has long been known that pure glycerin could be crystallized by special technics, involving super-cooling, followed by careful reheating or seeding with glycerin crystals.
Can you solidify nitroglycerin?
Early in the history of this explosive it was discovered that liquid nitroglycerin can be "desensitized" by cooling to 5 to 10 °C (40 to 50 °F), at which temperature it freezes, contracting upon solidification.
Did glycerin crystalize at the same time?
According to the game, in 1920, due to an accident involving the transport of liquid glycerin, a sample of glycerin crystallized. This was curious because glycerin had never been crystallized before, and afterwards glycerin everywhere started to crystallize spontaneously.
What happens if nitroglycerin explode?
Detonation of nitroglycerin generates gases that would occupy more than 1,200 times the original volume at ordinary room temperature and pressure; moreover, the heat liberated raises the temperature to about 5,000 °C (9,000 °F).
Does nitroglycerin explode if dropped?
Nitroglycerin is an oily, colourless liquid, but also a high explosive that is so unstable that the slightest jolt, impact or friction can cause it to spontaneously detonate.
Why is nitroglycerin in a glass bottle?
Nitroglycerin is a volatile substance which evaporates from tablets if strict precautions are not taken. The tablets kept in small, amber, tightly capped glass bottles in a refrigerator maintain their potency for three to five months if bottles are opened once a week.
What is glycerin vegetable?
Vegetable glycerin, also known as glycerol or glycerine, is a clear liquid typically made from soybean, coconut or palm oils. It is odorless and has a mild, sweet taste with a syrup-like consistency. Vegetable glycerin is particularly popular in the cosmetic industry but has several other uses as well.
What happens if you touch nitroglycerin?
* Nitroglycerin can affect you when breathed in and by passing through your skin. * Contact can irritate the skin and eyes. * High levels can interfere with the ability of the blood to carry Oxygen causing headache, fatigue, dizziness, and a blue color to the skin and lips (methemoglobinemia).
How was dynamite accidentally invented?
Nitroglycerin was first invented by Italian chemist Ascanio Sobrero (1812–1888) in 1846. In its natural liquid state, nitroglycerin is very volatile. Nobel understood this and in 1866 discovered that mixing nitroglycerin with silica would turn the liquid into a malleable paste called dynamite.
Can you touch nitroglycerin?
Nitroglycerin sublingual tablets should not be chewed, crushed, or swallowed. They work much faster when absorbed through the lining of the mouth. Place the tablet under the tongue or between the cheek and gum, and let it dissolve. Do not eat, drink, smoke, or use chewing tobacco while a tablet is dissolving.
Who developed nitroglycerin?
Constantine Hering developed a form of nitroglycerin in 1847 and advocated for its dosing as a treatment of a number of diseases; however, its use as a specific treatment for blood pressure and chest pain was not among these. This is primarily due to his deep rooted focus in homeopathy.
When did nitroglycerin come into use?
Nitroglycerin was written about as early as 1846 and came into medical use in 1878. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.
How does GTN work?
GTN is useful in decreasing angina attacks, perhaps more so than reversing angina once started, by supplementing blood concentrations of NO, also called endothelium-derived relaxing factor, before the structure of NO as the responsible agent was known. This led to the development of transdermal patches of glyceryl trinitrate, providing 24-hour release. However, the effectiveness of glyceryl trinitrate is limited by development of tolerance/ tachyphylaxis within 2–3 weeks of sustained use. Continuous administration and absorption (such as provided by daily pills and especially skin patches) accelerate onset of tolerance and limit the usefulness of the agent. Thus, glyceryl trinitrate works best when used only in short-term, pulse dosing. Glyceryl trinitrate is useful for myocardial infarction (heart attack) and pulmonary edema, again working best if used quickly, within a few minutes of symptom onset, as a pulse dose. It may also be given as a sublingual or buccal dose in the form of a tablet placed under the tongue or a spray into the mouth for the treatment of an angina attack.
What is the effect of nitroglycerin on headaches?
It was known almost from the time of the first synthesis of GTN by Ascanio Sobrero in 1846 that handling and tasting of nitroglycerin could cause sudden intense headaches, which suggested a vasodilation effect (as suggested by Sobrero). Constantine Hering developed a form of nitroglycerin in 1847 and advocated for its dosing as a treatment of a number of diseases; however, its use as a specific treatment for blood pressure and chest pain was not among these. This is primarily due to his deep rooted focus in homeopathy.
How long does it take for glyceryl trinitrate to release?
This led to the development of transdermal patches of glyceryl trinitrate, providing 24-hour release. However, the effectiveness of glyceryl trinitrate is limited by development of tolerance/ tachyphylaxis within 2–3 weeks of sustained use.
How long did it take for a guinea pig to breathe after giving nitroglycerin
After giving (orally) several centigrams of nitroglycerin to a puppy, the animal vomited, and within 7-8 minutes, it ceased to breath. Sobrero managed to revive it, but it convulsed.
What is nitrate tolerance?
Tolerance is defined as the loss of symptomatic and hemodynamic effects of GTN and/or the need for higher doses of the drug to achieve the same effects, and was first described soon after the introduction of GTN in cardiovascular therapy. Studies have shown that nitrate tolerance is associated with vascular abnormalities which have the potential to worsen patients' prognosis. These include endothelial and autonomic dysfunction.
What is nitroglycerin?
2004-09-16. Nitroglycerin is an organic nitrate with vasodilator activity. Nitroglycerin is converted into nitric oxide (NO) in smooth muscle and activates guanylyl cyclase, thereby increasing cGMP concentration, and resulting in smooth muscle relaxation.
What is the protein binding of nitroglycerin?
After a sublingual dose of nitroglycerin, at concentrations in the plasma ranging from 50 to 500 ng/mL, plasma protein binding of nitroglycerin is about 60%. The plasma protein binding of the metabolites 1,2-dinitroglycerin is 60% and that of 1,3-dinitroglycerin is 30%.
How long does nitroglycerin stay in plasma?
The plasma half-life of nitroglycerin has been estimated at 1 to 3 minutes, representing the alpha distribution, and also at about 7.5 minutes. Ellenhorn, M.J., S. Schonwald, G. Ordog, J. Wasserberger.
Is nitroglycerin a vasodilator?
It has a role as a vasodilator agent, a nitric oxide donor, an explosive, a prodrug, a tocolytic agent, a muscle relaxant and a xenobiotic. Nitroglycerin, desensitized, [liquid] appears as a pale yellow, viscous liquid that is slightly soluble in water and more dense than water. Sensitive to shock and heat.
Who invented nitroglycerin?
Ascanio Sobrero, born on this day in 1812, invented nitroglycerin. He just didn’t see any use for it—even though it became, in the hands of Alfred Nobel—yes, that Nobel—the active ingredient in dynamite. Sobrero, like Nobel, was a chemist who studied with professor J.T. Pelouze in Paris, according to the Nobel Prize website.
Where did Nobel study nitroglycerin?
A few years later, though, Nobel thought nitroglycerin’s explosive tendencies could be tamed. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, Nobel studied at Pelouze’s lab during a brief stint in Paris while he was studying chemistry.
What was the name of the substance that was used to make dynamite?
In 1867, Nobel’s discovery that nitroglycerin mixed with an absorbent substance was much safer to handle led to the invention of dynamite. Asciano Sobrero was badly injured in a lab accident during one of his experiments with nitroglycerine. (Wikimedia Commons)
What was the only dependable explosive for use in mines?
“At the time, the only dependable explosive for use in mines was black powder , a form of gunpowder ,” the encyclopedia writes.
What was Peleuze's first substance?
It was during his time with Peleuze, in the mid-1840s, that he came up with a substance he initially called “pyroglycerine, ” made by adding glycerol to a mix of nitric and sulfuric acids.
Was Sobrero injured in the nitroglycerin explosion?
However, Sobrero, who had been badly injured in a nitroglycerin explosion during his work, was at first “mortified” to hear about Nobel’s work, according to the Nobel Prize website. "When I think of all the victims killed during nitroglycerin explosions, and the terrible havoc that has been wreaked, which in all probability will continue ...
When was the blasting cap invented?
When it was lit and exploded, the liquid nitroglycerin would also explode. A few years later, in 1865 , he invented the blasting cap, which replaced the wooden detonator. “The invention of the blasting cap inaugurated the modern use of high explosives,” the encyclopedia writes.
What happened to glycerins after the discovery?
Shortly after the discovery, the glycerins in factories and laboratories around the world began to crystallize all together even without seed crystals.
What is the legend about glycerin?
When it comes to the discussion of crystals, there’s a famous legend about glycerin. The story that’s frequently found in occult books goes like the following: "……Glycerin is an important compound used as lubricant, food additive, and various industrial ingredients.
Why did the chemists puzzle the chemists in all fields?
That puzzled the chemists in all fields, because nothing had been changed in both production and storage conditions. A speculation that a seed crystal might have gotten in from someone’s clothing or skin was unlikely because carefully controlled experiments showed the same result.
Does glycerin crystallize?
However, no one has ever been able to crystallize it, leading to the belief that the solid state of glycerin does not exist.” (Figure 2.15) But one day, a barrel-full of glycerin on a British cargo ship was found completely crystallized.
