potassium nitrate

noun

Definition of potassium nitrate

: a crystalline salt KNO₃ that occurs as a product of nitrification in arable soils, is a strong oxidizer, and is used especially in making gunpowder, as a fertilizer, and in medicine

Examples of potassium nitrate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

LeBlanc said police searched Mikula’s residence and recovered a .9 mm handgun, Russian rifle, potassium nitrate which is a precursor to making explosives, and a PVC pipe with a hole drilled into it, which is a precursor to fashioning a pipe bomb. — Jerome Campbell, BostonGlobe.com, "East Boston man ordered held on $200,000 bail on explosive charges after apartment blast," 9 July 2018 Historically, the best natural source of saltpeter, the common name for potassium nitrate, has been from caves caked with bat droppings. — Kevin Davenport, idahostatesman, "O say can you see? The science behind the booms and blooms of Independence Day fireworks," 3 July 2018 The black powder used as propellant in 19th-century guns produced thick plumes of lead, carbon, sulfur, and potassium nitrate when combusted. — Aaron Mak, Slate Magazine, "Has a literal smoking gun ever been the “smoking gun” in a criminal case?," 17 July 2017

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