How do you make different color fireworks?

Answer 1

Fireworks combine art and science. And you should NEVER EVER attempt to make your own unless you *really* know what you are doing.

The colors in fireworks come largely from different metals in the fireworks which when heated glow different colors for different elements (this same effect is used to test for elements in something called the flame test). See the Related Links for "Chemistry of Firework Colors" to the bottom for the answer.

Answer 2

Different colors are produced by different minerals
Every element has a specific color that it emits when it is sufficiently hot. This unique color is technically known as the emission spectrum. The reason why every element is different is that the emission spectrum depends upon the specific structure of the electron orbitals for that element. A given wavelength, or color, depends upon the amount of energy which a given electron emits, and that in turn depends upon the specific transition it is making, from a higher energy orbit to a lower energy orbit.

As a result, if you put different chemical in your fireworks, you can get different colors. The only reason why we normally see all (or most) fires as being the same yellow color is that the yellow emission spectrum of sodium tends to drown out all others. But note that the methane flame on your stove is blue.
The colors come from metals the react with heat. here is a table of the what metals give out what colors.

ColorMetalExample compoundsRedStrontium (intense red)

Lithium (medium red)SrCO3 (strontium carbonate)

Li2CO3 (lithium carbonate) LiCl (lithium chloride)OrangeCalciumCaCl2 (calcium chloride)YellowSodiumNaNO3 (sodium nitrate)GreenBariumBaCl2 (barium chloride)BlueCopper halidesCuCl2 (copper chloride), at low temperatureIndigoCesiumCsNO3 (cesium nitrate)VioletPotassium

Rubidium (violet-red)KNO3 (potassium nitrate)

RbNO3 (rubidium nitrate)GoldCharcoal, iron, or lampblackWhiteTitanium, aluminium, beryllium, or magnesium powders

Answer 3

Different chemicals are added to the burning mixtures, and give different colors.

ColorMetalExample compoundsRedStrontium (intense red)

Lithium (medium red)SrCO3 (strontium carbonate)

Li2CO3 (lithium carbonate) LiCl (lithium chloride)OrangeCalciumCaCl2 (calcium chloride)YellowSodiumNaNO3 (sodium nitrate)GreenBariumBaCl2 (barium chloride)BlueCopperCuCl2 (copper chloride), at low temperatureIndigoCesiumCsNO3 (cesium nitrate)VioletPotassium

Rubidium (violet-red)KNO3 (potassium nitrate)

RbNO3 (rubidium nitrate)GoldCharcoal, iron, or lampblackWhiteTitanium, aluminum, beryllium, or magnesium powders

Answer 4

Various compounds are added to the fireworks to give them colour. Some commonly used ones are:

lithium carbonate, Li2CO3 = red

strontium carbonate, SrCO3 = bright red

calcium chloride, CaCl2 or calcium sulfate, CaSO4·xH2O, where x = 0,2,3,5 = orange

incandescence of iron (with carbon), charcoal, or lampblack = gold

sodium nitrate, NaNO3 or cryolite, Na3AlF6 = yellow

white-hot metal, such as magnesium or aluminium, or barium oxide, BaO = electric white

barium chloride, BaCl+ = bright green

copper acetoarsenite (Paris Green), Cu3As2O3Cu(C2H3O2)2 = blue

copper (I) chloride, CuCl = turquoise blue

mixture of strontium (red) and copper (blue) compounds = purple

burning aluminum, titanium, or magnesium powder or flakes = silver (colour).

Answer 5

Fireworks contain different mixtures of chemical compounds, each with a specific color.