Fireworks Displays

Fireworks Displays - Where Colors of Fireworks Come From

Have you ever wondered where the colors of fireworks come from ? Wonder no more because we have provided you with a comprehensive list of the elements needed to create specific colors in fireworks.

To start with, the colors of fireworks depend on added compounds to the black powder. A specific compound creates a particular color.

It's then up to the manufacturer to choose the color effect that a firework aims to create.
Below is a list of the common colors used in fireworks and the compounds that give off a specific hue.

1. Red

this color is achieved by mixing either strontium or lithium salts to the gunpowder. Strontium gives off a bright shade of red while lithium a fainter one.

2. Gold

want a golden glow in your fireworks? Mixing iron, charcoal or lampblack will produce a golden light.

3. Blue

producing this color needs compounds such as copper compounds combined with a chlorine producer, and copper acetoarsenite.

4. Purple

had enough with the common colors? Mix strontium (the compound that produces red) and copper (compound that produces blue) and you have yourself a purple flash of light.

5. Silver

if you want to imitate the color of lightning, add either aluminum, titanium or magnesium to the mix and you will have silver.

There are other compounds added to regular gunpowder to produce different-colored fireworks. The ones listed above, however, are the most common.

Keep in mind though that you shouldn't try mixing them with gunpowder by yourself, unless you are guided by a professional or a professional yourself. Mishandling fireworks can be potentially dangerous. Read more...

How Fireworks Work

There are a wide variety of fireworks available in the market. Each produces a different effect depending on how they were set up and the materials used in making them.

In spite of their variety, they operate on basic principles which apply to each and every firework. This article will give you a glimpse of how firecrackers work.

It begins with learning about the three basic types of fireworks: the firecracker, sparklers and the aerial fireworks.

Firecrackers are the oldest and the most basic of all three. The Chinese first created them by stuffing gunpowder in hollow bamboo tubes.

Typical firecrackers consist of gunpowder or flash powder which is then tightly packed into a tube. A fuse serves to light the powder inside. Sometimes, manufacturers add materials such as aluminum to make the explosion bright.

Meanwhile sparklers simply emit bright flashes of light. They are designed to burn brightly for a long time unlike firecrackers which usually just blow up in a fraction of a second.

Finally, there are the aerial fireworks. They are probably the most common form of fireworks since they are the ones used during celebrations such as the New Year and, in the United States, the Fourth of July.

Among the three, aerial fireworks are the most complex. They are usually composed of a container, a bursting charge at the center which ignites the stars located on its side, and the fuse which determines how high the fireworks can fly. Different compounds are used in the stars to create different colors. Read more...

History of Fireworks

The history of fireworks is as colorful as the flashes of light that they emit. This article will deal with the history of fireworks, from its discovery to its modern uses.

China is recognized as the birthplace of fireworks. However, the exact date of its invention, as well as the discovery of gunpowder (an important element used in fireworks) is greatly debated by historians.

Some say that it goes as far back as 2000 years ago, while others peg it at a much later time during the Middle Ages.

The Chinese mainly used fireworks for entertainment purposes. Those considered as the first firecrackers were bamboo tubes filled with gunpowder which were then thrown into the flame.

The loud noise that these firecrackers, and other subsequent fireworks, emitted was believed to drive away evil spirits. That is why the Chinese usually use them to usher in a new year.

Use of fireworks eventually spread westward, initially to the Middle East then later on to Europe. The first recorded use of fireworks in Europe was sometime during the 13th century.

While the Chinese used fireworks for entertainment, the Europeans used it for military purposes. It was at this time when guns were invented.

The Europeans, too, spearheaded the development of fireworks. They studied it closely and even had schools built specifically for that purpose - one was in Italy while the other was in Nuremberg, Germany.

Today, fireworks continue to be a significant part of major celebrations such as the New Year. There are even international festivals dedicated to showcasing fireworks displays. Read more...