Book 3, Question 39 · Video
Why Do Fireworks Have Colors?
Fireworks are packed shells full of tiny chemical pellets called stars. When those pellets burn, special metal salts glow in bright colors. Each metal paints the sky a different co
Read the full answer →What Crafty Clover says in this video
Intro
Hey there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Why do fireworks have colors?
The Big Idea
Fireworks are packed shells full of tiny chemical pellets called stars. When those pellets burn, special metal salts glow in bright colors. Each metal paints the sky a different color! So the boom is just gas. The pretty colors are chemistry!
Fuse Burns, Shell Flies
Step one: the fuse burns and the shell flies. At a real show, a trained grown-up lights the fuse. It burns down to a small charge called the lift charge. The lift charge pops, and whoosh! It shoots the shell high into the sky.
Burst! Stars Scatter
Step two: the shell bursts, and the stars scatter. Way up high, a second charge blasts the shell open. The little pellets, the stars, fly out in every direction. The loud boom is only gas expanding fast.
Salts Glow, Sky Paints
Step three: the salts glow, and the sky gets painted. Heat gives the metal atoms extra energy. When the atoms drop that energy, they give off light! Different metals give off different colors, so you see reds, greens, and golds.
A Closer Look
Let's take a closer look at a firework shell! The fuse carries the flame inside. The lift charge sends the shell up. The stars are packed with metal salts. They make the colors! And the burst charge blows the shell open, high in the sky.
Quick Facts
Quick facts! Strontium makes red. Green comes from barium. Sodium makes yellow, like some street lamps. And copper often looks blue-green!
Think Like a Scientist
Now, think like a scientist! At a public fireworks show, watch from a safe distance with a grown-up. Make a tally mark for every color you see. Which color showed up most? Guess which metal made it! Ear protection helps. And never pick up a dud!
Outro
Fireworks paint the sky with chemistry. Science is a blast! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!