Which inventor developed dynamite, a powerful explosive based on stabilised nitroglycerin that transformed mining and construction?

Introduction / Context:
Dynamite is an explosive that made blasting rock and earth much more efficient and relatively safer compared with handling pure nitroglycerin. The invention of dynamite had a big impact on mining, tunnel construction and even warfare. This question asks you to identify the inventor who developed this stabilised explosive.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The explosive mentioned is dynamite, not ordinary gunpowder.
• Dynamite is based on nitroglycerin absorbed in an inert material.
• The inventor became a famous industrialist and later funded international prizes.
• The options list names from different scientific and industrial fields.

Concept / Approach:
Alfred Nobel, a Swedish chemist and engineer, discovered that nitroglycerin could be stabilised by absorbing it into a material such as diatomaceous earth. This mixture could be shaped into sticks and was far easier to handle and transport safely. He patented this product as dynamite and built a large business around it. The wealth he earned later funded the Nobel Prizes, which honour achievements in science, literature and peace.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Focus on the distinctive word dynamite and recall common textbook statements such as dynamite was invented by Alfred Nobel. Step 2: Recognise that J. B. Dunlop is associated with tyre development and pneumatic tyres, not explosives. Step 3: Observe that the other names listed are not widely connected with explosive invention in standard general knowledge. Step 4: Conclude that Alfred Nobel is the correct inventor.

Verification / Alternative check:
A quick check is to link the phrase Nobel Prize with the same person who invented dynamite. Textbooks often highlight the irony that wealth from explosives funded prizes promoting science and peace. None of the other names in the options match this story, which confirms that Alfred Nobel is the appropriate answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• J. B. Dunlop: Associated with the development of pneumatic tyres for bicycles and vehicles.
• James Simons: Known as a mathematician and hedge fund manager, not for dynamite.
• Peter Hargreaves: Not credited in major references as the inventor of dynamite.
• Michael Faraday: An important figure in electromagnetism and electrochemistry, but not the creator of dynamite.

Common Pitfalls:
Occasionally, learners confuse the names of famous chemists and might guess Faraday due to his high profile in science history. Another pitfall is not reading the word dynamite carefully and thinking only about general explosives. By remembering the clear connection between Alfred Nobel, dynamite and the Nobel Prizes, you can avoid these mistakes easily.

Final Answer:
Dynamite was developed and patented by Alfred Nobel.