Aerial fireworks use black powder to launch a shell into the air. At peak altitude, an internal burst charge detonates, violently ejecting small pellets of metal powder and oxidizers (called "stars") into the sky.
Sparklers do this on a slower scale. A chemical fuel and metal grains are glued to a wire with a binder. As the binder burns down, gas expansion continually throws off tiny, molten metal particles into the air.
Once these metal particles are ejected, they hit extreme heat and open oxygen. Internal oxidizers release oxygen, causing the metals to burn intensely. This rapid oxidation releases a massive amount energy, causing the metal to glow brightly through two methods:
The specific metal mixed into the composition dictates the exact color or effect you see:
| Metal Element | Visual Effect / Color |
|---|---|
| Iron / Steel | Classic golden, branch-like sparks (the backbone of backyard sparklers) |
| Strontium | Deep Red |
| Barium | Vibrant Green |
| Copper | Electric Blue (the hardest to produce & expensive) |
| Sodium | Intense Yellow |
| Magnesium / Aluminum | Blinding White / Silver flashes |
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