How Fireworks Produce Sounds and Colors
The Science, Physics, and Chemistry Behind Fireworks Displays!
Explosions powered by chemical reactions produce the sounds. Different chemical compounds mixed in the gunpowder produce the colors of fireworks.
Many people enjoy fireworks displays on the first of July, the new year, and other festive holidays. These fireworks displays produce many loud sounds and vibrant colors. How?
How Do Fireworks Make Noise?
When the fuse on a firecracker is lit and burns, it sets off a chemical reaction in the gunpowder. Burning gunpowder releases large amounts of hot gas. If the gunpowder is not confined in any way, the chemical burning reactions release the gas harmlessly, and it does not explode.
If the gunpowder is confined in some way, the gas is not released harmlessly. It explodes. In a bullet, the shell confines the gunpowder so that the high pressure gas released by the chemical burning reactions propels the bullet down the barrel of the gun. In firecrackers or other fireworks, the cardboard shell of the firecracker explodes with a loud popping sound when the chemical burning reaction releases the gas.
What Chemistry and Physics Happens in the Atoms?
The chemical burning reactions in the gunpowder in the fireworks vaporize the gunpowder and the color producing chemicals mixed in with the gunpowder. The hot gas atoms frequently collide with each other in the firework explosion. These collisions push the electrons to higher energy levels, which are higher orbitals, in the atoms. After a short time the electrons jump back down to the lowest energy level, which scientists call the ground state. The electrons must release the extra energy, and they release this energy as light. The color of the light depends on the exact amount of energy released when the electron jumps to the ground state.
Physicists and chemists call the specific colors of light emitted when the electrons jump to lower energy levels the emission line spectrum. Each element has its own unique colors or emission line spectrum. Engineers designing fireworks displays select the chemical elements or compounds that have the right emission line spectrum to produce the desired colors for the display.
Understanding the chemistry and physics of fireworks can increase the enjoyment of a fireworks display.
This article can be found from the website(http://physics.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_fireworks_produce_sounds_and_colors)
The Science, Physics, and Chemistry Behind Fireworks Displays!
Explosions powered by chemical reactions produce the sounds. Different chemical compounds mixed in the gunpowder produce the colors of fireworks.
Many people enjoy fireworks displays on the first of July, the new year, and other festive holidays. These fireworks displays produce many loud sounds and vibrant colors. How?
How Do Fireworks Make Noise?
When the fuse on a firecracker is lit and burns, it sets off a chemical reaction in the gunpowder. Burning gunpowder releases large amounts of hot gas. If the gunpowder is not confined in any way, the chemical burning reactions release the gas harmlessly, and it does not explode.
If the gunpowder is confined in some way, the gas is not released harmlessly. It explodes. In a bullet, the shell confines the gunpowder so that the high pressure gas released by the chemical burning reactions propels the bullet down the barrel of the gun. In firecrackers or other fireworks, the cardboard shell of the firecracker explodes with a loud popping sound when the chemical burning reaction releases the gas.
What Chemistry and Physics Happens in the Atoms?
The chemical burning reactions in the gunpowder in the fireworks vaporize the gunpowder and the color producing chemicals mixed in with the gunpowder. The hot gas atoms frequently collide with each other in the firework explosion. These collisions push the electrons to higher energy levels, which are higher orbitals, in the atoms. After a short time the electrons jump back down to the lowest energy level, which scientists call the ground state. The electrons must release the extra energy, and they release this energy as light. The color of the light depends on the exact amount of energy released when the electron jumps to the ground state.
Physicists and chemists call the specific colors of light emitted when the electrons jump to lower energy levels the emission line spectrum. Each element has its own unique colors or emission line spectrum. Engineers designing fireworks displays select the chemical elements or compounds that have the right emission line spectrum to produce the desired colors for the display.
Understanding the chemistry and physics of fireworks can increase the enjoyment of a fireworks display.
This article can be found from the website(http://physics.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_fireworks_produce_sounds_and_colors)
"What this articles does not tell you about is what produces the color of fireworks. Doing some research I have learned how fireworkds produce the color they appear to be. Various elements when mixed in with the gun powder in the fire work produce the many colors of the spectrum. This is related to the unit we took on light saying the colors we do see form part of the visible spectrum. For example sodum emits a strong yellowish color when it is burnt. So if a firework appears yellow there is probably sodium in that firework to react with the gun powder. Another example is copper which causes a blue color. So to form any color in a firework there is various chemical elements. This is how a fire appears to be the color it is."
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