The effects of fireworks can be categorized into three types. These three types are known as Gunpowder, Color concoctions, and Flares. Understanding these differences will help you appreciate fireworks in your community. In addition, you’ll understand what conservation of momentum means and how it affects the explosion. Fireworks are also a great way to teach kids about chemistry. Listed below are the different types of fireworks and how they work.
Gunpowder
Gunpowder is the substance used to ignite and light off fireworks. It is made from a mixture of charcoal, sulphur fuel, and potassium nitrate oxidizer. When combined, the three ingredients create gunpowder. Modern propellants, however, are made with perchlorates, which limit the ability of the thyroid gland to absorb iodine, a nutrient that is essential for normal growth and development.
Flares
A flare (also known as a fusée or fusee, or as a bengala in some Latin-speaking countries) is a portable, lightweight device that emits a bright light without causing an explosion. Flares are used for defense, illumination, and distress signaling. They are used for both military and civilian applications. To learn more about the uses of flares, keep reading! Here’s what you should know!
Color concoctions
When it comes to creating colorful fireworks, scientists are constantly tweaking the recipe of oxidizers to get the right color mixture. Every element in a fireworks recipe releases energy in different colors when burned. Light, an energy carrier, excites electrons in the atoms, which move them to higher energy levels. However, these excited electrons cannot remain in this state for an extended period of time. So, fireworks have to be made with a balance of different oxidizers and additives to create the perfect fireworks color.
Conservation of momentum
The symmetry of the explosions caused by fireworks is a prime example of conservation of momentum. Fireworks explode at the highest point and the fragments fly out symmetrically in an x-y plane. The velocities of two fragments, shown as arrows in Fig. 2, are measured before and after the explosion. The third fragment is measured after the explosion, and at rest. The horizontal coordinates are x and y, but z is irrelevant for this question.
Pollution
A new study shows that air pollution during and after a fireworks display can spike. These events produce a high-concentration cloud of metallic substances that are easily ingested. Fireworks contribute significantly to yearly metal emissions. However, a higher concentration of the toxins can be harmful to human health. So, how do you reduce your risk of breathing these toxic chemicals? First, understand what fireworks actually do to the air.