Gunpowder was the first chemical explosive and propellant. Prior to the invention of gunpowder, many incendiary bombs and burning devices had been used. The invention of gunpowder is usually attributed to Chinese alchemy. It is known to all that gunpowder is listed as one of the“Four Great Inventions”of China. The invention was made perhaps as early as in the Tang Dynasty. Knowledge of gunpowder was spread throughout the world as a result of the Mongol conquests in the 13th century. It was employed in warfare to some effect from at least the 14th century.
火藥（gunpowder）是最早出現(xiàn)的化學炸藥和推進劑（propellant）。在火藥發(fā)明之前，人們使用過許多燃燒彈（incendiary bomb）和燃燒設備。人們通常把火藥的發(fā)明歸因于中國的煉金術（alchemy）。眾所周知，火藥被列為中國的“四大發(fā)明”之一。這項發(fā)明可能早在唐朝就已經研制出來了。由于13世紀蒙古人的征戰(zhàn)，有關火藥的知識被傳到全世界。最晚從14世紀開始，火藥就已經開始被應用于戰(zhàn)爭中并產生了一定的影響。
