Final answer:
Ammonium nitrate is an oxidizing material that can contribute to explosive reactions when not handled properly, as demonstrated by historical disasters like the 1947 Texas City explosion.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ammonium nitrate is a chemical compound commonly used as a fertilizer that exhibits both beneficial and dangerous properties. Given the choices provided, ammonium nitrate is best characterized as an oxidizing material (Option B), because it can readily offer oxygen to support the combustion of other materials. This property is what makes it a component in explosives and contributes to its involvement in several catastrophic incidents when not handled properly, such as the Texas City explosion in 1947 and more recently, the West, Texas explosion in 2013. These disasters showcase the destructive power of ammonium nitrate when it undergoes an oxidation-reduction reaction. Specifically, the nitrogen in the nitrate ion oxidizes the nitrogen in the ammonium ion, which can lead to explosions under certain conditions.