Fireworks are just like small explosions that normally do not create any damage if safety guidelines are being followed. But if the same wirework is without any safety measures, it may cause damage. Every year there are a couple of incidents all over the world in which a stray rocket hits any person; a fire takes place in a firework store that causes damage to neighbours as well. Even sometimes, there is a fire in the fire in the factory that makes the fireworks, and all the explosive material is available. Such incidents produce huge blasts and explosions. Tens of people lose their life in such incidents.
Fireworks can be used at different events, festivals, and celebrations, and nowadays, there are special firework shows in which a great show of fireworks happens with the help of devices. These are available for individuals as well that they can explode. I personally like the big star fireworks shooter. It is fun to see them exploding in the air.
History Of Fireworks:
The history of fireworks starts in China. Around 200AD, people used to throw the bamboo tree’s stems on fire, creating an explosion with light and great sound. The current form of fireworks begins with the invention of gun powder. A small amount of gun powder is packed in the container when it explodes, and it produce the same sound as the bamboo stems.
Later, a long and rolled paper was use to store the gun powder with a fuse. All these innovations in fireworks with the help of gun powder were during the Song Dynasty.
If we talk about the colors of fireworks, these begin in the Fourteenth Century when the nitrate-gun powder was used to create the smoke and fire of assort colors to create military signals. Each color means a specific meaning
Even in current times, military is still using the different fire lights to send a special message.
Fireworks In Europe:
In Europe, the assistant of Peter the Great once reported to him in the 14th century that China had such an explosion that Europe never had. In Europe, fireworks were introduced in 14th century and became popular in the 17th century.
Color Combinations:
Bartholet in 1786, found that oxidations with potassium chlorate create a violet discharge. More experiments were perform and found that oxidations with the chlorates of barium, strontium, copper, and sodium bring about the unusual discharge of light colors. The isolation of metallic magnesium and aluminium opened another discovery that these metals inflame with an extraordinary, brilliant light
The Shapes
The shaped of fireworks in air depends on how they are combin and arranged in the container or the shell. It created the same pattern in air as it is in the container and in the same sequence.
Present Times Of Fireworks
In now a days, with the lates science and chemistry, the fireworks has been improved a lot. They can be of any color or shape. They even have variable sounds. In many parts of the world the fireworks have some important heritage. There are festivals, shows and events that are incomplete without fireworks.
The Chemistry of fireworks is based on the simple theory of combustion. There are 6 key ingredients in the formulation of firework. These are below
- Fuel
- Oxidizing agent
- Reducing Agent
- Regulator
- Coloring Agent
- Binders
The black powder is the most common fueling agent used in the firework now. They burn and release the energy. This energy makes sure the rest of the reactions and flames produce properly.
For any burning needs the oxygen. And oxidizer in the firework provides the enough oxygen for burning the black powder and other substances in it and helps in chemical reactions going on. The most common oxidizers are nitrates, perchlorates, and chlorates
The reducing agents helps in producing gases with the help of burning oxidizer
Regulators are use to determine the speed of reaction. You can increase or decrease the reaction speed with help of regulating agents i-e metal. The more metal means fast reaction speeds
Coloring agents are use to create the colors during all the process that we see in explosions. Below are some of the metals use for different colors
Strontium > Red, Copper > Blue, Barium > Green, Sodium > Yellow/Orange, Calcium > Orange, Gold > Iron
Binders, as the name suggest hold everything together. It is a paste usually dextrin – a kind of starch
