🌍 where
Where was gunpowder invented?
inventionschina
Quick Answer
Gunpowder was invented in China, probably in the 9th century, by alchemists searching for an elixir of immortality.
The Full Story
Chinese alchemists mixing saltpetre, sulphur and charcoal discovered that the combination burned explosively. A Chinese text from around the mid-9th century warns against mixing these ingredients because of the fire danger. By 1044 the Wujing Zongyao, a Song dynasty military manual, recorded formulas for gunpowder. The Chinese developed fire arrows, bombs and early guns called fire lances. Gunpowder spread along trade routes to the Islamic world and Europe by the 13th century, transforming warfare.
Key Facts
1.Gunpowder was invented in China
2.It is made from saltpetre, sulphur and charcoal
3.The Wujing Zongyao recorded formulas in 1044
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Suggested video title for this topic:
"The search for immortality that created gunpowder"