In a blasting cap, the explosive is concentrated toward which end?

• A. Open end
• B. Bottom end away from the open end
• C. Middle
• D. Evenly throughout the charge

Answer: (B)

The energy inside a blasting cap is arranged to be directed along a specific path. Most of the explosive filler is placed toward the bottom end, away from the open end. When the cap is initiated from the open end, the detonation wave is guided toward that bottom end and into the main explosive charge, making initiation more reliable and energy transfer more efficient. If the explosive were in the middle or distributed evenly, the detonation would be less focused and could be harder to transfer consistently into the main charge. Concentrating toward the open end would also disrupt the directional transfer of energy into the charge.