Which characteristic of an explosive indicates how it reacts to pressure or shock?

Shock sensitivity is a critical characteristic of explosives that refers to how an explosive material reacts when subjected to pressure, impact, or shock. This property is essential in munitions systems because it influences safety measures during handling, transportation, and storage. An explosive with high shock sensitivity can be easily initiated by a sudden force, whereas one with lower sensitivity would require a more significant or specific stimulus to detonate.

Understanding shock sensitivity helps in evaluating how an explosive might behave in various real-life scenarios, such as during accidental impacts or in environments where it might be subject to shock waves from nearby explosions. This characteristic is important for ensuring that proper precautions are taken to prevent unintentional detonations in scenarios where explosives may be present. Therefore, when considering how explosives react to external forces, shock sensitivity is the definitive characteristic to assess.