Which explosive is considered the standard by which other explosives are measured?

TNT, or trinitrotoluene, is recognized as the standard explosive because it has established a benchmark for measuring the performance and effectiveness of other explosives. This is due to its consistent sensitivity, stability, and predictable behavior when detonated. TNT has been widely used in both military and civilian applications for over a century, which provides a historical base for comparison.

When new explosives are developed, their brisance (the shattering effect), water resistance, and other properties are compared against TNT. Additionally, the ease of handling and safety characteristics of TNT makes it a reliable standard for testing. Because of these aspects, TNT is often referred to in terms of equivalent explosive power (for example, a particular explosive may be rated as having 1.5 times the power of TNT).

Other options like C-4, pipe bombs, and ANFO serve specific purposes or contexts but do not have the broad recognition or standardized classification that TNT possesses in the field of explosives.