Though far from the fourth of July, I still live in relatively close proximity to the ever-exploding fireworks courtesy of the Happiest Place on Earth. Fireworks have always captivated me not only because of the spectacle they produce, but that there unique history, shape, and color variation are all products of intricate science and chemistry. Rather than let my mind sink away into meaningless mush at the sight of their utter awesomeness, I decided to deliberately and meticulously suck the fun out of them all and wikipedia their wondrous chemical reactions and catalysts that make those cool smiley faces or the ones that drizzle down in all white sparkly showers.
Apparently, creating the phenomenon of the firework and its color is a complex endeavor, requiring both artistic talent (hello, lighting design!) and application of physical science. Apart from mere propellants or special effects, the bits of light emitted from fireworks, coined 'stars', require an oxygen-producer, fuel, binder, and color producer. The two main means of producing color are achieved through incandescence and luminescence.
I don't want to lose anyone here, but essentially, when the temperature of a firework is closely controlled, the glow of its component (i.e. charcoal) can be altered to a desired degree of intensity (just like in lighting!) which correlates with that specific temperature and good timing. Metals like aluminum, magnesium and titanium all burn very brightly and are ideal for increasing the temperature of the firework. Additionally, Luminescence is an important aspect in that it is produced using energy sources aside from heat. It can occur at both room temperature and cooler temperatures. To create luminescence, energy must be absorbed by an electron of an molecule, causing it to become excited and simultaneously unstable. As the electron declines to a lower energy state, the energy is emitted in the form of a photon (light). As we all know from part 1 of class, the energy of the photon determines its wavelength or color. Erego, colored fireworks!
The importance of this post was not to merely lecture on the physical compounds of fireworks, but rather, to further exemplify how closely related science and artistic design may be. These colors, salts, and patterns are not arbitrary; they require both extensive thought and scientific, calculating caution and thought. Plus, they're just a pretty sweet spectacle.
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