Which chemical in fireworks makes them so colorful?

Answer 1

Chemistry of Firework Colors

http://chemistry.about.com/library/weekly/aa062701a.htm/


Creating firework colors is a complex endeavor, requiring considerable art and application of physical science. Excluding propellants or special effects, the points of light ejected from fireworks, termed 'stars', generally require an oxygen-producer, fuel, binder (to keep everything where it needs to be), and color producer. There are two main mechanisms of color production in fireworks, incandescence and luminescence.


Incandescence

Incandescence is light produced from heat. Heat causes a substance to become hot and glow, initially emitting infrared, then red, orange, yellow, and white light as it becomes increasingly hotter. When the temperature of a firework is controlled, the glow of components, such as charcoal, can be manipulated to be the desired color (temperature) at the proper time. Metals, such as aluminum, magnesium, and titanium, burn very brightly and are useful for increasing the temperature of the firework.


Luminescence

Luminescence is light produced using energy sources other than heat. Sometimes luminescence is called 'cold light', because it can occur at room temperature and cooler temperatures. To produce luminescence, energy is absorbed by an electron of an atom or molecule, causing it to become excited, but unstable. When the electron returns to a lower energy state the energy is released in the form of a photon (light). The energy of the photon determines its wavelength or color.

Sometimes the salts needed to produce the desired color are unstable. Barium chloride (green) is unstable at room temperatures, so barium must be combined with a more stable compound (e.g., chlorinated rubber). In this case, the chlorine is released in the heat of the burning of the pyrotechnic composition, to then form barium chloride and produce the green color. Copper chloride (blue), on the other hand, is unstable at high temperatures, so the firework cannot get too hot, yet must be bright enough to be seen.


Quality

Pure colors require pure ingredients. Even trace amounts of sodium impurities (yellow-orange) are sufficient to overpower or alter other colors. Careful formulation is required so that too much smoke or residue doesn't mask the color. With fireworks, as with other things, cost often relates to quality. Skill of the manufacturer and date the firework was produced greatly affect the final display (or lack thereof).

Answer 2

Hello,

Different compounds can produce different colors of colored fire or flame. i.e.

Strontium Salts & Lithium Salts for Red, Calcium Salts for Orange, Charcoal for Gold, Sodium for Yellow, Magnasium and aluminum powder for silver, Barium cloride and boric acid for green, copper compound with clorine for Blue, Mixture of Strontium & Copper compounds for Purple, Barium Oxide for Electric White.

You can do some practical at home by adding these chemicals in Alcohol and burning them you'll see coloured flame.

Answer 3

Each chemical produce a different color.

blue is the most expensive color for fireworks

Answer 4

BARIUM CHLORATE
This is a poisonous salt of Barium, which decomposes at a high temperature, approximately 1,300 degrees used as both an oxidizer and a color imparter within fireworks

Answer 5

Whether they want to be approached, or left alone is usually the difference between approachable and not approachable. Anybody could be approached in a hypothetical situation, not all situations are hypothetical though. Most people pick up on when somebody wants to be left alone, and when they feel like approaching people, they usually let people know by approaching people.

Answer 6

Different chemical compounds.

Answer 7

Crayola

Answer 8

Depends on the color...copper for green, sulfur for yellow...etc.

Answer 9

kool-aid