How Fireworks Work and How Does it Spread in Different Colors?

For the past years fireworks has been part of whatever celebrations that we had, most
especially during New Year. Many are fascinated with the beauty of fireworks as it displays
different colors and patterns. And these made me curious on how fireworks work and how does it
spread in different colors.
Firework involves three components to make them work. These are the fuel, oxidizer and
special chemicals, that is responsible in producing colors. An oxidizer is a type of chemical that a
fuel requires to burn. Most oxidizers on earth use oxygen, which is common in our atmosphere.
The next component is the fuel. The fuel sets off and combine with the oxygen released by the
oxidizer which breaks the chemical bonds in the fuel.
The combination of fuel and oxidizer, also called as
gunpowder, in a firework are used in different ways, first is the
fuse that is used to light a tiny rocket. This is made of a very
fine powder which makes the wick to burn at a controlled rate.
The timing and force of fireworks can be controlled with
different fuses or thicker wrappers. Next step, this burning fuse
lights a larger gunpowder, the lift charge, which ignites to send
the fireworks into the sky. Once the fireworks reach the peak of
its trajectory, a gunpowder, called burst charge, within the
firework ignites. This causes the “stars”, which contain metal
salts and sparkles, to explode. The chemical mixture inside the
star produces the color. The different colors are made by
burning different metal salts. To be specific, a lithium or
strontium compounds produces red. Barium compounds gives
a green color. For orange or yellow, it is a sodium compound.
Carbon gives a golden glow. To make a silver or white color,
aluminum and magnesium is used. A combination of copper
and chloride make blue firework. It is said that this is the hardest
firework color to be produced as it appears dimmer than other colors. The pattern of stars around
the central gunpowder charge creates different patterns of fireworks. These stars can be in a
different compartment which explode at different times making different patterns.
Fireworks are an amazing sight to see but are also very dangerous so safety precautions
must be followed when working with fireworks.