TNT Equivalents
Explosive Pressure Equivalent Impulse Equivalent /Maximum Pressure
TNT 1.00 1.00  
C-4
Composition B (60 RDX/40 TNT)
 1.30
1.20		 1.50
1.10		  
Pentolite
Dynamite 60 percent straight
- 50 percent
- 20 percent
 1.42
0.90
0.90
0.70		 1.44
0.90
—
—		  
Blasting gel
ANFO		 0.85
0.82		 0.85
  
Smokeless powder
Black powder
 0.60
0.60		   Dense Packing
Dense Packing
Photo flash powder (aluminum, potassium perchlorate 40/60) 0.42    
Fuel-Air (by weight)
Ethylene oxide
MAPP (welding gas)
 10+
10 		  300 psi
200 psi
Acetylene
Propane
6		   150 psi
120 psi
Methane
Paint pigments
     100 psi
160 psi
Milk powder
Flour
7		   135 psi
150 psi
Wood
Sugar
 7   160 psi
134 psi
Aluminum 10   195 psi
Commonly Available Plastic Explosives: Physical Properties
A terrorist cell’s skill in constructing Improvised Explosive Devices or Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (IED, VBIED) is likely to influence the type of attack it might execute. Bombmakers with only rudimentary skills may be restricted to assembling basic devices. A skilled journeyman bombmaker may have the competence needed to build a range of IEDs from small to large that are highly concealable or have advanced capabilities such as multiple triggering methods, directional blasts, or increased blast effect. Two hundred kilograms of explosives can make:
Two hundred Pipe Bombs
Twenty Suicide Vests
Two small sedans
Delivery truck
200 Pipe Bombs
@ 1 kg each		 20 Suicide Vests
@ 10 kg each		 2 small VBIEDs
@ 100 kg each		 Sufficient booster charge
for 4,000 kg of homemade explosives in a VBIED.