Part 4/8:
In distinguishing between low and high explosives, velocity plays a critical role. High explosives detonate (i.e., the reaction velocity exceeds the speed of sound in the material) at velocities typically ranging from 3,000 to 9,900 meters per second, while low explosives do not reach this threshold. Traditional thermite burns quickly, but does not qualify as a high explosive because it lacks a sufficient detonation velocity.