DYNAMITE

dynamite: Any of a class of high explosivesbased on nitroglycerin. Theoriginal form, invented in 1867 byAlfred Nobel, consisted of nitroglycerinabsorbed in kieselguhr. Moderndynamites, which are used for blasting,contain sodium or ammoniumnitrate sensitized with nitroglycerinand use other absorbers (e.g. woodpulp).

A high explosive made by absorbing nitroglycerine into an earthy material such as diatomite (kieselguhr). Solid sticks of dynamite are much safer to handle than the highly sensitive liquid nitroglycerine.