Which of the following is an example of a high explosive?

• A. Dynamite
• B. TNT
• C. Napalm
• D. Black powder

Answer: (B)

High explosives detonate, producing a shock wave that travels faster than the speed of sound in the material, whereas low explosives burn rapidly (deflagration) and don’t create that same shock effect. Napalm is an incendiary—designed to ignite and spread fire rather than to detonate. Black powder is a low explosive that deflagrates and produces heat and gas, not a rapid detonation.

TNT, or trinitrotoluene, is the classic textbook example of a high explosive. It detonates reliably, generating a strong blast and shock wave, and is widely used to illustrate high-explosive behavior in safety and public health contexts. Dynamite is also a high explosive, but TNT is the more standard, widely recognized example used for teaching this distinction, which is why it’s the best single answer among the options.