TNT

TNT is an explosive block that can be primed to generate an explosion.

Obtaining
TNT can be broken instantly with any tool, or without a tool. However, primed TNT cannot be broken, as it is an entity, but it can be removed with the /kill command.

Entity loot
TNT also drops when a minecart with TNT is broken.

Natural generation
Nine TNT blocks occur naturally in each desert pyramid trap.

Two TNT blocks flank a trapped chest in one secret woodland mansion room.

Usage


TNT blocks can be activated by:
 * a flint and steel or a fire charge
 * any item enchanted with Fire Aspect
 * a powered redstone current
 * being shot by flaming projectile
 * being shot with an arrow from a bow with flame enchantment.
 * being shot with an arrow through lava or fire
 * being hit by a fire charge fired from a dispenser
 * coming into contact with spreading fire or lava
 * being in the blast radius of a nearby explosion, including that of another TNT block, a Creeper, a bed or a Respawn Anchor.
 * being summoned, in which case detonates immediately (this can be changed with the Fuse tag)
 * being fired from a dispenser
 * being lit by a flint and steel used by a dispenser
 * being hit by an explosive skull from a Wither

Behavior
Once activated, TNT turns into an entity, which includes being affected by gravity. The new primed TNT is spawned at the center (+0.5,+0.5,+0.5) of where the TNT block was, like a cube with an edge length of 0.98. Its fuse lasts 40 redstone ticks (4 seconds/80 game ticks) if activated by redstone or fire, or a random number between 10 and 30 game ticks (0.5 to 1.5 seconds) if it is destroyed by another explosion.

Once spawned, primed TNT is given a vertical velocity of 0.2 blocks per tick, and a horizontal velocity of 0.02 blocks per tick in a random direction. Given these velocities, the TNT travels 0.166 blocks (or 6 block pixels) horizontally before it stops, given there is no block in the way. When the countdown timer expires, the TNT explodes. If in the air, TNT falls roughly 77 blocks before exploding once it is ignited. The explosion has an explosive force of 4.

Primed TNT's texture blinks, alternating every 0.5 seconds between the TNT block's texture, and a copy of it that has been brightened to near-white. The effect is dynamic and the brightened texture can't be found in the assets.

Primed TNT cannot be pushed by players or other mobs, but it moves when in flowing water or lava. Water/lava cannot push primed TNT into minecarts or boats.

When primed TNT detonates while in water or lava, it does not break any blocks. It does still damage players, mobs, and other entities. Primed TNT that detonates outside water can still damage submerged blocks.

To make TNT destroy blocks in the water, e.g. to enter an ocean monument from the top, one can place sand or gravel on the TNT before it is primed. Priming the TNT causes the sand or gravel to fall one block, engulfing the TNT. Because the TNT is no longer immersed in water, it can destroy the surrounding blocks.

Primed TNT is not teleported when entering a nether portal; instead, it passes through portal blocks. Primed TNT teleports as expected when entering an end portal, maintaining its direction and speed. The fuse timer keeps counting down (unless the spawn chunks are unloaded, then it pauses until a player loads the chunks).

If the TNT is primed atop any sort of fence post that is two blocks high or larger, it falls through the fence block on which it was activated and stops on the next lower one. Its detonation damages only the fence block it was "stuck" in.

$$ primed TNT summoned by a command explodes immediately because the fuse time defaults to zero if not specified.

Redstone component
For redstone to activate TNT, it must either lead directly to the TNT, or power an adjacent block.

Traps
TNT can be used in a variety of traps. The simplest of them – a land mine – is made of TNT connected to a pressure plate or tripwire with redstone. One such trap generates naturally in desert pyramids under the loot area.

Cannons
TNT cannons are mechanisms that launch primed TNT into the air. Some cannons can also be used to launch other entities or objects into the air.

Mob farms
Mobs killed by player-ignited TNT (via flint and steel or by flaming arrows) drop experience orbs as though they were killed by the player in regular combat.

ID




Entity data
TNT has entity data associated with them that contain various properties of the entity.

Trivia

 * "TNT" stands for Trinitrotoluene.
 * The Preferred IUPAC name, however, is 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene.
 * The use of sand in the crafting recipe references dynamite, a different high explosive than TNT, consisting of nitroglycerine mixed with diatomaceous earth (which is mostly silica, the same chemical compound as yellow sand).
 * Although flint and steel cannot light fires in Adventure Mode, it can still ignite TNT.
 * It takes 19.75 blocks to fall for it to reduce the timer for one second.
 * Although primed TNT normally gets caught in cobwebs, TNT propelled fast enough flies through them without slowing down at all.
 * It is slightly smaller than a full block when activated, as with all entity versions of blocks (see shulker).
 * Using flint and steel to ignite it sets it off at once, but fire must burn it for many seconds before triggering.
 * $$, TNT by default doesn't do anything, but when set to data value 1, it ignites when broken.
 * The longest fuse time of TNT is 27 minutes and 18.35 seconds, or 32,767 ticks.
 * Attempting to ignite TNT while sneaking results in the block being lit on fire, rather than the TNT becoming primed.
 * Standing behind blocks during an explosion dramatically reduces knockback and damage from the explosion.
 * TNT does not damage the player on peaceful difficulty, however, it does break blocks and damage entities.
 * The TNT fuse sound uses the same sound file as when a creeper is primed, but it is played at a higher pitch when the TNT is primed.