BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — As you watch fireworks light up Kern’s night sky on the Fourth of July, have you ever wondered what gives fireworks their colors?
Unless you’re a chemistry nerd, not many know the answer.
The color in fireworks are produced from a single source: pure chemistry. The fireworks you see in the sky are created by the explosion of multiple small pellets of black powder, also known as stars. Once the powder has been ignited, those stars can be arranged to make different shapes in the sky.
All fireworks require the same active ingredient, black powder, and are mixed with certain chemicals and minerals. Those chemicals or minerals will then make the firework explode in different colors after it reacts with the heat from the explosions.
For example, to create red fireworks, strontium is used. The mineral is also used in ceramic magnets and oil and gas production.
The fourth most abundant mineral in the world, sodium, is used to make yellow fireworks, while copper is used to produce blue-colored explosions. Copper and sodium aren’t used to make green, though. Instead, the green glow is caused by barium chloride.
Aluminum powder creates bright flashes and the loud bangs often associated with fireworks, while iron and charcoal pieces can lead to gold sparks.
In total, There are seven mineral elements commonly used in fireworks, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
