How Chemistry is Used in Warfare By: Matthew Volle

Chemicals like chlorine gas were used in early World War I. At that time the only defense was a wet cloth and goggles over their face.

chlorine gas

Cyanogen Chloride [ chlorine cyanide]

Cyanogen chloride is a highly toxic blood agent. It is commonly known as chlorine cyanide. But if you don’theat it up, it won’t hurt you at all. It also burns but, it won’t ignite immediately.

Hydrogen cyanide is an extremely poisonous liquid that boils slightly above room temperature. It is a linear molecule, thatalso is a triple bond in between carbon and nitrogen. Cyanide ionsinterfere with iron-containing respiratory enzymes.

Hydrogen cyanide

Cyclosarin or GF is a very poisonous substance. It is in theG-series family of nerve agents. It is also a weapon of mass destruction. Its stockpiling and production was outlawed in 1993 by the Chemical Weapons Convention.

Cyclosarin

A C-4 [composition 4] is an common high explosive. It’s ancombination of several small explosives. It’s explosive velocity is8,040 m/s [26,400 ft/s] or, 28,900 km/h [18,000 mph]. That is a lotof explosive power!

plugging wires in a C-4 box