How Do Explosives Work?

Every explosive needs nitric acid to be produced.Thus we can simply say there are NO2 bonds in the chemical structure of the explosive.When the igniter sends an electric current through the explosive,the O=N=O bonds are broken in a fraction of a second.This results in massive amounts of oxygen and nitrogen being produced.The sudden and tremendous increase in gas pressure causes the whole thing to "burst",or simply,explode.
What Explosive Do They Use In Demolishing Buildings?

The most common explosives people use to demolish buildings are TNT
and dynamite.TNT stands for trinitrotoluene,or methyl-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene.Dynamite
is actually nitroglycerine stabilized by porous cement or sawdust.We will look at nitroglycerine later.

(Demolishing of apartment blocks, Singapore)
Why Do Some Explosives Produce Smoke While Others Do Not?
Explosives produce smoke depending on the way they decompose.Take for example, nitroglycerine.Its chemical formula is CH2NO3CHNO3CH2NO3.It is decomposed in the following reaction:
4CH2NO3CHNO3CH2NO3----->6N2+12CO+10H2O+7O2

4 moles of nitroglycerine liberates 35 moles of hot gases with no carbon formed.Thus,the explosion is considered smokeless.Now,we take another example,TNT.Its chemical formula is CH3C6H2(NO2)3 and it decomposes in the following reaction:
2CH3C6H2(NO2)3----->3N2+7CO+5H2O+7C

In this case,2 moles of TNT liberate 15 moles of hot gases with carbon formed.As a result the explosion is smoky.
How Are Explosives Made?
As we have focused on TNT and nitroglycerine,I will tell you more about them.TNT is made by dissolving toluene(C7H8) into concentrated nitric acid(HNO3).After the mixing,a porous cement or rubber-based silicone is added to harden the liquid mixture.Thus,solid TNT can be achieved.Nitroglycerine involves an extremely delicate process of mixing concentrated sulphuric acid and nitric acid together and adding glycerine.But it is not so easy as that!If you do have these chemicals at home,please,don't ever think about making these explosives as they could result in serious injury or even death!What I have described is only the MOST general part of production and involves many other processes.If you still don't know,nitroglycerine is one of,and probably the most,unstable explosive in the world.No shock must ever be applied to it or it will most certainly explode.
Well,that's it for this section.Are you experienced now? :)