Fireworks:Combining Chemicals and Colour

Chemistry, Chemical Reactions, Primary Chemistry, Age 11-14, Age 14-16

A colourful and interactive presentation that revises simple chemical reactions in the context of fireworks. Students are asked to consider combustion reactions and some detail is provided about how fireworks react. It includes a link to a flame test video.


1Fireworks: Combining Chemicals and Colourshttp://teachable.net/res.asp?r=18552Fireworks are great examples of chemistry in action... What gives them different colours?What reactions make fireworks explode?3R .?P .?ProductsFireworks contain a mixture of chemicals which react when ignited.Carbon + Oxygen Carbon Dioxide + EnergySulphur + Oxygen Sulphur Dioxide + EnergyReactantsThe main (gunpowder) reaction is between carbon and oxygen: 4The reaction between carbon and oxygen is a burning reaction.
Burning is also known as Burning is an example of an reaction.The rapid production and expansion of carbon dioxide gas in a firework causes the paper casing to explode resulting in the familiar bang!5Which formula shows a balanced reaction?The explosion of a firework causes the atoms of the reactants to be In a sparkler the sparks are flakes of a metal such as magnesium which has become so hot that it glows white or even burns.
The property of metals to give out light when they are heated is known as incandescence.6Three