Propellant chemistry, magazine heat, and G3 layout

What is the difference among cordite, powder tubes, and other bursting or propellant options?

Their formulations trade flash, smoke, range, accuracy, and stability, while their sensitivity to heat strongly influences magazine protection and ship layout.

Propellant development pursued different combinations of low flash, low smoke, range, and accuracy. The desired burn characteristics also affected stability and sensitivity to heat. A magazine next to a boiler room could need substantial thermal protection, whereas intervening compartments reduced the heat reaching the ammunition. The G3 and N3 designs, followed by Nelson and Rodney, illustrate the effort to keep boilers and magazines apart. Their internal arrangement therefore had consequences for ammunition condition as well as machinery and gun placement.