by Anastasija Šļapina.
Y ou cannot look me in the eye and say that you don’t have a single photo of fireworks on your phone. Or that you have never felt the itch to capture those illuminating moments in the sky. We usually discuss the price of the fireworks, the colours and the shapes of them - we say “that was pretty” and move on. But how did we even come about making something so beautiful, and loud, and dangerous? Have you ever wondered how fireworks work? Well, I am going to break it down for you!
If you are trying to explode something, you need a mix of fuel and an oxidizer. The fuel is a source of energy electrons, which are small, negatively charged particles. The electrons from the fuel are transferred to the oxidizer in a combustion reaction, and because of this, energy is released. The sulfur and charcoal in the gunpowder act as fuel, while potassium nitrate acts as the oxidizer. Modern fireworks also have a binder.
G-YOU MAGAZINE// FESTIVAL // NOV 2021 // 8
It is not clear how and when fireworks were first invented. Though, it is known that firecrackers are precursors of fireworks, which were created two thousand years ago in China. Firecrackers consist of gunpowder or flash powder in a tight paper tube with a fuse. History is filled with legends about firecrackers being discovered by chance. One of these stories is about Chinese alchemists who combined honey, sulfur and saltpetre, and, when heated up, this mixture set ablaze. Another popular legend involves a Chinese cook making the same combination, which exploded when put in an enclosed space. The early gunpowder was used to scare off evil spirits, as the firecrackers created loud bangs. The gunpowder would be inserted into a bamboo stick and thrown into the fire, which made the stick explode. Later, honey was replaced by charcoal, and bamboo was replaced with small containers for the gunpowder.
