Editing Explosive (section)

===Power, performance, and strength===
{{Main|Power (physics)|Strength (explosive)}}
The term '''power''' or '''performance''' as applied to an explosive refers to its ability to do work. In practice it is defined as the explosive's ability to accomplish what is intended in the way of energy delivery (i.e., fragment projection, air blast, high-velocity jet, underwater shock and bubble energy, etc.). Explosive power or performance is evaluated by a tailored series of tests to assess the material for its intended use. Of the tests listed below, cylinder expansion and air-blast tests are common to most testing programs, and the others support specific applications.
* '''Cylinder expansion test.''' A standard amount of explosive is loaded into a long hollow [[cylinder (geometry)|cylinder]], usually of copper, and detonated at one end. Data is collected concerning the rate of radial expansion of the cylinder and the maximum cylinder wall velocity. This also establishes the [[Gurney equations|Gurney energy]] or 2''E''.
* '''Cylinder fragmentation.''' A standard steel cylinder is loaded with explosive and detonated in a sawdust pit. The [[fragmentation (weaponry)|fragments]] are collected and the size distribution analyzed.
* '''Detonation pressure ([[Chapman–Jouguet condition]]).''' [[Detonation]] pressure data derived from measurements of shock waves transmitted into water by the detonation of cylindrical explosive charges of a standard size.
* '''Determination of critical diameter.''' This test establishes the minimum physical size a charge of a specific explosive must be to sustain its own detonation wave. The procedure involves the detonation of a series of charges of different diameters until difficulty in detonation wave propagation is observed.
* '''Massive-diameter detonation velocity.''' Detonation velocity is dependent on loading density (c), charge diameter, and grain size. The hydrodynamic theory of detonation used in predicting explosive phenomena does not include the diameter of the charge, and therefore a detonation velocity, for a massive diameter. This procedure requires the firing of a series of charges of the same density and physical structure, but different diameters, and the extrapolation of the resulting detonation velocities to predict the detonation velocity of a charge of a massive diameter.
* '''Pressure versus scaled distance.''' A charge of a specific size is detonated and its pressure effects measured at a standard distance. The values obtained are compared with those for TNT.
* '''Impulse versus scaled distance.''' A charge of a specific size is detonated and its impulse (the area under the pressure-time curve) measured as a function of distance. The results are tabulated and expressed as [[TNT equivalent]]s.
* '''Relative bubble energy (RBE).''' A 5 to 50&nbsp;kg charge is detonated in water and piezoelectric gauges measure peak pressure, time constant, impulse, and energy.
::The RBE may be defined as ''K''<sub>''x''</sub> 3
::RBE = ''K''<sub>''s''</sub>
::where ''K'' = the bubble expansion period for an experimental (''x'') or a standard (''s'') charge.