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Explosive
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====High==== High explosives (HE, or high-order explosives) are explosive materials that [[Detonation|detonate]], meaning that the [[explosion|explosive]] [[shock front]] passes through the material at a [[supersonic]] speed. High explosives detonate with [[explosive velocity]] of about {{Convert|3|-|9|km/s|ft/s}}. For instance, TNT has a detonation (burn) rate of approximately 6.9 km/s (22,600 feet per second), detonating cord of 6.7 km/s (22,000 feet per second), and C-4 about 8.0 km/s (26,000 feet per second). They are normally employed in mining, demolition, and military applications. The term ''high explosive'' is in contrast with the term ''low explosive'', which explodes ([[Deflagration|deflagrates]]) at a lower rate. High explosives can be divided into two explosives classes differentiated by [[sensitivity (explosives)|sensitivity]]: [[#Primary|primary explosive]] and [[#Secondary|secondary explosive]]. Although tertiary explosives (such as ANFO at 3,200 m/s) can technically meet the explosive velocity definition, they are not considered high explosives in regulatory contexts. Countless high-explosive compounds are chemically possible, but commercially and militarily important ones have included [[nitroglycerin|NG]], [[TNT]], [[Trinitrophenol|TNP]], TNX, [[RDX]], [[HMX]], [[pentaerythritol tetranitrate|PETN]], [[TATP]], [[TATB]], and [[hexanitrostilbene|HNS]].
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