Editing Explosive (section)

===Stability===
{{Main|Chemical stability}}
'''Stability ''' is the ability of an explosive to be stored without [[chemical decomposition|deterioration]].

The following factors affect the stability of an explosive:
* '''[[Chemical constitution]].''' In the strictest technical sense, the word "stability" is a thermodynamic term referring to the energy of a substance relative to a reference state or to some other substance.<!--vague, needs better def--> However, in the context of explosives, stability commonly refers to ease of detonation, which is concerned with [[chemical kinetics]] (i.e., rate of decomposition). It is perhaps best, then, to differentiate between the terms thermodynamically stable and kinetically stable by referring to the former as "inert." Contrarily, a kinetically unstable substance is said to be "labile." It is generally recognized that certain groups like nitro (–NO<sub>2</sub>), [[nitrate]] (–ONO<sub>2</sub>), and [[azide]] (–N<sub>3</sub>), are intrinsically labile. Kinetically, there exists a low activation barrier to the decomposition reaction. Consequently, these compounds exhibit high sensitivity to flame or mechanical shock. The chemical bonding in these compounds is characterized as predominantly covalent and thus they are not thermodynamically stabilized by a high ionic-lattice energy. Furthermore, they generally have positive enthalpies of formation and there is little mechanistic hindrance to internal molecular rearrangement to yield the more thermodynamically stable (more strongly bonded) decomposition products. For example, in [[lead azide]], Pb(N<sub>3</sub>)<sub>2</sub>, the nitrogen atoms are already bonded to one another, so decomposition into Pb and N<sub>2</sub><sup>[1]</sup> is relatively easy.
* '''[[Temperature]] of storage.''' The rate of decomposition of explosives increases at higher temperatures. All standard military explosives may be considered to have a high degree of stability at temperatures from –10 to +35&nbsp;°C, but each has a high temperature at which its rate of [[thermal decomposition]] rapidly accelerates and stability is reduced. As a rule of thumb, most explosives become dangerously unstable at temperatures above 70&nbsp;°C.
* '''Exposure to [[sunlight]].''' When exposed to the [[ultraviolet]] rays of sunlight, many explosive compounds containing [[nitrogen]] groups rapidly decompose, affecting their stability.
* '''[[Electrical discharge]].''' [[Electrostatic discharge|Electrostatic]] or [[electric spark|spark]] sensitivity to initiation is common in a number of explosives. Static or other electrical discharge may be sufficient to cause a reaction, even detonation, under some circumstances. As a result, safe handling of explosives and [[pyrotechnics]] usually requires proper [[ground (electricity)|electrical grounding]] of the operator.