Where do the colors in fireworks come from?
Our first stop was How Fireworks Work, from Marshall Brain, mastermind of the HowStuffWorks web site. Brain presents an illustrated introduction to aerial fireworks and the pyrotechnic devices — firecrackers and sparklers — that make these fabulous displays possible. We learned that a firecracker consists of a paper tube tightly packed with black powder (aka gunpowder) and a fuse to light the powder. Aluminum is usually added to brighten the explosion. A sparkler consists of several compounds — fuel, oxidizer, iron or steel powder, and a binder ingredient like sugar or starch. Mix these together with water, and you get a chemical slurry that you can pour into a tube or dip onto a wire. When lit, the sparkler burns for up to a minute, emitting a “bright and showery” light. Fireworks often contain iron, steel, and zinc or magnesium dust added for dazzling, longer burning displays. Spec
