FULMINATE

Fulminate

Fulminates are chemical compounds which include the fulminate ion. The fulminate ion, is a pseudohalic ion, acting like a halogen with its charge and reactivity. Due to the instability of the ion, fulminate salts are friction-sensitive explosives. The best known is mercury fulminate, which has been used as a primary explosive in detonators. Fulminates can be formed from metals, such as silver and mercury, dissolved in nitric acid and reacted with ethanol. It is largely the presence of the weak single nitrogen-oxygen bond which leads to its instability. Nitrogen very easily forms a stable triple bond to another nitrogen atom, forming gaseous nitrogen.

The above text is a snippet from Wikipedia: Fulminate
and as such is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

fulminate

Noun

  1. Any salt or ester of fulminic acid, mostly explosive.

Verb

  1. To make a verbal attack.
  2. To issue as a denunciation.
  3. To strike with lightning; to cause to explode.


The above text is a snippet from Wiktionary: fulminate
and as such is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

Need help with a clue?
Try your search in the crossword dictionary!