Napalm is best described as which type of weapon?

• A. A chemical defoliant
• B. An incendiary weapon
• C. An anti-tank missile
• D. A chemical nerve agent

Answer: (B)

The defining feature here is its incendiary effect. Napalm is a sticky gel of flammable liquids that clings to surfaces and burns at extremely high temperatures for a prolonged period. This design targets material destruction and area-wide fires, which is the hallmark of an incendiary weapon. It isn’t primarily used to remove vegetation as defoliants do, though fires can damage plants; its main purpose is to start and spread flames. It also isn’t an anti-tank missile, whose goal is to penetrate armor with a high-velocity explosive, nor a chemical nerve agent, which would disrupt the nervous system. So the best description is that napalm is an incendiary weapon.