Gelatin sticks

Gelatin sticks

Subject: Science and technology

Context: 20 gelatin sticks were found near the car of Mukesh Ambani who enjoys “Z plus” security (highest security to individual assessed to be facing threat in India)

Concept:

• Gelatin sticks are mostly used for blasting purposes in quarries (recent years saw its use in some terror cases).
• They need a detonator to be set off.
• It is also called as gelignite or simple jelly. it consists of consisting of collodion-cotton (a type of nitrocellulose or guncotton) dissolved in either nitroglycerine or nitrogly col and mixed with wood pulp and saltpetre.
• It was invented in 1875, by Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, who also invented dynamite.
• Its composition makes it easily moldable and safe to handle without protection, as long as it is not near anything capable of detonating it.