Saltpeter is a primary component of, for 10 points, what explosive substance invented by the Chinese?
Ed Ruscha smeared a mixture of blood and this substance onto fabric to create his artwork Two Sheets Stained with Blood. A procedure used to detect this substance involves making a paraffin cast, and then searching for this substance with SEM-EDX microscopy. Francis Bacon's claim that paper, the compass and this substance were the three most important inventions, is examined in a Joseph (*) Needham article asking why the country that invented this substance didn't industrialize. In the 19th century, the British developed cordite as a replacement for this substance. Bitterwort herbs and honey were incorporated into the first recipe of this substance, which was most likely invented by Taoist alchemists. Saltpeter is a primary component of, for 10 points, what explosive substance invented by the Chinese?
Ed Ruscha smeared a mixture of blood and this substance onto fabric to create his artwork Two Sheets Stained with Blood.
gunpowder 