Grenade

A grenade is a small <a href="/facts/Explosive_weapon/vVzk0Q2t">explosive weapon</a> typically thrown by hand (also called hand grenade), but can also refer to a <a href="/facts/Shell_(projectile)/a51oDRdu">shell</a> (explosive <a href="/facts/Projectile/kaDpG3N7">projectile</a>) shot from the muzzle of a <a href="/facts/Rifle/H3mJx7U4">rifle</a> (as a <a href="/facts/Rifle_grenade/UELnw5h2">rifle grenade</a>) or a <a href="/facts/Grenade_launcher/TjWnnf9b">grenade launcher</a>. A modern hand grenade generally consists of an <a href="/facts/Explosive_charge/sUme5Pp8">explosive charge</a> ("filler"), a <a href="/facts/Detonator/SoXrXl08">detonator</a> mechanism, an internal <a href="/facts/Firing_pin/KGKtHjFo">striker</a> to trigger the detonator, an arming safety secured by a transport safety. The user removes the transport safety before throwing, and once the grenade leaves the hand the arming safety gets released, allowing the striker to trigger a <a href="/facts/Percussion_cap/kvj5E8ac">primer</a> that ignites a <a href="/facts/Fuze/uGhu5xbF">fuze</a> (sometimes called the delay element), which burns down to the detonator and explodes the main charge.
Grenades work by dispersing fragments (fragmentation grenades), <a href="/facts/Shockwave/CqrG1Xm5">shockwaves</a> (<a href="/facts/High_explosive/sUme5Pp8">high-explosive</a>, <a href="/facts/Anti-tank_grenade/UJKsVUkI">anti-tank</a> and <a href="/facts/Stun_grenade/PM5h5PHL">stun grenades</a>), chemical <a href="/facts/Aerosol/X1jXFLp2">aerosols</a> (<a href="/facts/Smoke_grenade/SperYa4R">smoke</a>, gas and chemical grenades) or <a href="/facts/Fire/M6XwR3am">fire</a> (<a href="/facts/Incendiary_grenade/Du3rHfGB">incendiary grenades</a>). Their outer casings, generally made of a hard <a href="/facts/Organic_compound/gqCNaN45">synthetic material</a> or steel, are designed to <a href="/facts/Rupture_(engineering)/nxDNAj0d">rupture</a> and <a href="/facts/Fragmentation_(weaponry)/hY6dz3rP">fragment</a> on detonation, sending out numerous fragments (<a href="/facts/Sherd/5axlcVQ4">shards</a> and <a href="/facts/Splinter/YvwSx1Wa">splinters</a>) as fast-flying projectiles. In modern grenades, a pre-formed fragmentation matrix inside the grenade is commonly used, which may be spherical, cuboid, wire or notched wire. Most <a href="/facts/Anti-personnel/vqUNYnJF">anti-personnel</a> (AP) grenades are designed to detonate either after a time delay or on impact.
Grenades are often spherical, cylindrical, ovoid or truncated ovoid in shape, and of a size that fits the hand of an average-sized adult. Some grenades are mounted at the end of a handle and known as "<a href="/facts/Stielhandgranate/l2fkzHMW">stick grenades</a>". The stick design provides <a href="/facts/Mechanical_advantage/tWX3c82Q">leverage</a> for throwing longer distances, but at the cost of additional weight and length, and has been considered obsolete by western countries since the <a href="/facts/World_War_II/2efV5L1U">Second World War</a> and <a href="/facts/Cold_War/spJdJQ3q">Cold War</a> periods. A friction igniter inside the handle or on the top of the grenade head was used to initiate the fuse.

Grenade open-in-new

Grenade