Atomic Structure of Fireworks
Fireworks are exciting pyrotechnic displays of fantastic color that burst across the night sky. The atomic structure of fireworks is all about "excitement"---exciting atoms that lurk within the age-old black powder inside unlit fireworks.
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Contents of Fireworks
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Black powder---saltpeter, charcoal and sulfur---is what gives fireworks their lift and was invented in China more than 1,000 years ago. "Stars," or individual clay-like chunks of various chemicals, are added to black powder to produce a multihued display of colors.
Inorganic Salts
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The stars inside fireworks are composed of inorganic or metal salts, including strontium chloride, barium chloride, copper chloride, sodium chloride and lithium chloride.
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Exciting Electrons
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The heat generated during an explosion of fireworks "excites" electrons in each element. As the electrons begin to "relax" and return to their original or ground state, they release the excess energy they have absorbed in the form of light.
Different Salts Produce Different Colors
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Because of the different atomic structure of the atoms in each element, different colors are produced during the explosion, colors characteristic to each element. For example, excited barium always gives off green colors; strontium, reds; sodium, yellows; copper, blues; and potassium, purples.
Creating Firework Patterns From "Stars"
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To create the elaborate patterns seen during a spectacular pyrotechnics display, fireworks experts strategically arrange the chemical star lumps inside the firework to produce unlimited patterns of colors.
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- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Sam
