Within a firearm, a burning material creates pressure to force the bullet or shot out of the barrel. What is this burning material?

Within a firearm, a burning material creates pressure to force the bullet or shot out of the barrel. What is this burning material?

• A. Powder
• B. Primer
• C. Oil
• D. Water

Answer: (A)

The burning material is powder. In firearms, the powder (gunpowder in older terms or smokeless powder today) is the propellant that burns and rapidly converts to high-pressure gas. When the trigger is pulled, the primer ignites a small explosion that starts the powder burning. The rapidly produced gas expands and pushes the bullet or shot out of the barrel. Oil or water aren’t used to propel a bullet—oil would contaminate the system and water doesn’t burn to create propulsion. The primer’s job is to ignite the powder, not to provide the main burning material.

The burning material is powder. In firearms, the powder (gunpowder in older terms or smokeless powder today) is the propellant that burns and rapidly converts to high-pressure gas. When the trigger is pulled, the primer ignites a small explosion that starts the powder burning. The rapidly produced gas expands and pushes the bullet or shot out of the barrel. Oil or water aren’t used to propel a bullet—oil would contaminate the system and water doesn’t burn to create propulsion. The primer’s job is to ignite the powder, not to provide the main burning material.