It will explode at a temperature of over 4700° C produces about 680 kilocalories (2700 B.T.U) of heat, over 9 cubic feet of gas is formed, with a pressure of about 13,000 atm (1,90,000 lb./in) which develops if the explosion takes place in an enclosed space.

Although the amounts of heat and gas liberated in the explosion are not very much more than twice those produced in the explosion of an equal amount of gunpowder, which is a much slower explosive, the shattering power of blasting gelatin (and similar explosives) is very much greater than that of gunpowder, this being due mainly to the greater speed of the explosion reaction.