How fireworks work: firecrackers, sparklers, and aerials. The first link on the sources slide is an awesome video...

2.  Gunpowder
▪ 75% potassium nitrate (oxidizer)
▪ 15% charcoal or sugar (for carbon fuel)
▪ 10% sulfur (to moderate reaction)
 Paper wrapper
▪ Burning creates carbon dioxide & nitrogen gas
▪ Wrapper explodes and creates a *bang*

3.  Four components
 Fuel (charcoal/sugar)
 Oxidizer (KNO3)
 Metal powder/flakes
▪ Create color and sparks
▪ By glowing or burning
▪ Aluminum, steel, zinc, iron
 Binder (sugar or starch)
▪ Holds everything together on the stick

4. Color Compounds
Strontium salts, lithium salts
SrCO3 or Li2CO3
Calcium Salts
CaCl2, CaSO4xH2O
Incandescence of iron (with carbon) or charcoal
Sodium compounds
NaNO3, Cryolite – Na3AlF6
White-hot metal
Mg, Al, BaO
Barium compounds and a chlorine producer
BaCl+
Copper compunds + chlorine producer
copper acetoarsenite, CuCl
Mix red and blue compounds (strontium and copper)
Burning Al, Ti, or Mg (powder or flakes)

5. Color Compounds
Red Strontium salts, lithium salts
SrCO3 or Li2CO3
Orange Calcium Salts
CaCl2, CaSO4xH2O
Gold Incandescence of iron (with carbon) or charcoal
Yellow Sodium compounds
NaNO3, Cryolite – Na3AlF6
Electric White White-hot metal
Mg, Al, BaO
Green Barium compounds and a chlorine producer
BaCl+
Blue Copper compunds + chlorine producer
copper acetoarsenite, CuCl
Purple Mix red and blue compounds (strontium and copper)
Silver Burning Al, Ti, or Mg (powder or flakes)

6.  Firecrackers
 Explosion, noise
 Sparklers
 Light, colors
 Shell launched by a mortar

7.  Shell has four components
▪ Fuse
▪ Container
▪ Bursting charge
▪ Stars
 Mortar launches shell into the air
▪ Lifting charge
▪ Or compressed air

8.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5R-
F1RmL5Y&feature=endscreen
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fireworks
 http://chemistry.about.com/od/howthingswork/
a/fireworks.htm
 http://chemistry.about.com/od/historyofchemist
ry/a/fireworkhistory.htm
 http://chemistry.about.com/od/fireworkspyrotec
hnics/a/fireworkcolors.htm
 http://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/ev
eryday-innovations/fireworks.htm