The pellets that generate color are tiny balls of chemical salt. These salts are different metal and nonmetal compounds bonded together by a superstrong hold between the positively-charged metal and the negatively-charged nonmetal components. The nonmetals are usually chemicals like nitrogen or chlorine with oxygen attached to them, and can work as another source of oxygen for the burning explosion, or can enhance its color.
The metal is responsible for each of these colors. The metals used in these salt pellets are made up of atoms with electrons floating around them. Usually, these electrons hang out as close as they can to the nucleus. The amount of heat energy needed to push these electrons away varies for each metal. When they do, they release the same amount of energy applied to them, but in the form of a unique wavelength of light instead, as Scientific American explains.
Some metals can generate multiple colors, depending on how hot they get. We see these different light wavelengths as different colors. Mineral elements provide the color in fireworks.
Barium produces bright greens; strontium yields deep reds; copper produces blues; and sodium yields yellow.
Other colors can be made by mixing elements: strontium and sodium produce brilliant orange; titanium, zirconium, and magnesium alloys make silvery white; copper and strontium make lavender. Gold sparks are produced by iron filings and small pieces of charcoal. Bright flashes and loud bangs come from aluminum powder. COPPER In addition to making fireworks blue and purple, Copper is one of the oldest metals used by humans, and today is mostly used in electronics and power generation.
The USGS delivers unbiased science and information to increase understanding of ore formation, undiscovered mineral resource potential, production, consumption, and how minerals interact with the environment. For more information, please visit www. Geological Survey, , Mineral commodity summaries U. This pushes the firework off the ground and causes the compounds inside it to explode in the air.
More complex fireworks shells are launched from a mortar, a tube with black powder that causes a lift-off reaction when lit. These compounds are in little balls called stars , made of a similar compound to what makes a sparkler work. Different metals burn in different colors. For example, if a copper compound is lit, its flame will be a blue-green color. Calcium burns red-colored and potassium burns purple. In fireworks, metals are combined to create different colors. When the star compounds inside a firework are heated, the excited atoms give off light energy.
This light falls into two categories: incandescence and luminescence. Incandescence is light produced from heat. Luminescence , on the other hand, is produced from other sources and can occur even at cold temperatures. They release light energy photons in the process. Barium chloride gives fireworks a luminescent green color, and copper chloride makes a blue color.
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