Fireworks

Fireworks are one of the few things that adults respond to as if they were still children.  It seems that we must forget the beauty of the colors, and power of the explosions between each viewing.  But, it never ceases to amaze me, each time I watch the fireworks, how stunning they are.

The scientific name for fireworks is pyrotechnics.  Pyrotechnics is a fancy way of saying colorful explosion.  A fireworks display is created by the lighting on fire of a variety of combustible materials that are designed to shoot out colorful ribbons, showers, or sparks.  Fireworks are actually closely related to the mortars and rockets used in war, and the skyrocket was originally used during war.  Fireworks skyrockets are the most commonly used fireworks, and they resemble the model rockets that children play with or use for scientific experiments.  They are essentially paper or cardboard tubes filled with combustible materials.

Pyrotechnics began as far back as China in the 7th century when fireworks were used to frighten evil spirits, and to celebrate.  Fireworks design and manufacture became a professional career in China that was highly honored.

Fireworks can cause injury to the operator, the manufacturer, the designer, and also to observers.  In addition, they can start fires by landing on flammable surfaces that are too close to the display.  Not every fireworks display works properly, and sometimes they come down from the sky still burning.  In the United States, fireworks displays are now carefully regulated to keep the operators, observers, and the surrounding neighborhoods safe.

Even so, it is still possible to be injured.  I was at a fireworks display one Fourth of July, where the wind picked up, and blew burning sparks down on the crowd.  No one was seriously hurt, but they could have been.

There are many different types of fireworks, and new techniques are being discovered each year.  Some of the more common effects are listed here:

• Peony--A circular break of colored stars that burn without a tail effect.
• Chrysanthemum--A circular break of colored stars, with stars that leave a trail of sparks.
• Ring--A shell with stars specially arranged so as to create a ring. 
• Crossette--A shell containing several large stars that travel a short distance before breaking apart into smaller stars, creating a crisscrossing effect.
• Horsetail--This shell features heavy long-burning tailed stars that only travel a short distance from the shell burst before free-falling to the ground. 
• Time Rain--An effect created by large, slow-burning stars within a shell that leave a trail of large glittering sparks behind and make a sizzling noise.
• Multi-Break Shells--A large shell containing several smaller shells of various sizes and types. The initial burst scatters the shells across the sky before they explode.
• Fish--Inserts that propel themselves rapidly away from the shell burst, often looking like fish swimming away.
• Salute--A shell intended to produce a loud report rather than a visual effect. Salute shells usually contain flash powder, producing a quick flash followed by a very loud report.

Each color in a fireworks display is created by burning certain chemicals.

• White--Titanium, Aluminum, Beryllium, Magnesium
• Red--Strontium or Lithium
• Orange--Calcium
• Yellow--Sodium
• Green--Barium
• Blue--Copper
• Indigo--Cesium
• Purple--Potassium or Rubidium
• Gold--Charcoal, Iron, or Lampblack

Some of the chemical compounds are more stabile than others, and they are used in combination due to their chemical properties, and stability.

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