Question

What compound provides the explosive force in aerial fireworks?

Answer 1

Fireworks generate tremendous amount of energy and release of sound, light of different of colors and Heat. A boom voice is often hear, it is due to sudden release of energy in the air which causes sudden expansion of air which exceeds speeds of sound in air.Different kinds of color are due to presence of different salts such as lithium and strontium based salt will give red color, barium chloride will emit green color, aluminium and magnesium emitting silver color.

This metal salt are are put in a kind of clay arrangement. This clay consist of oxidizing and reducing agents and certain kind of binders along with the metal salt.

Now comes the main part , regarding which compounds lead to this aerial force .

There is a proper sequence of reaction taking place to ensure first lift of firework take place and than the color effect and vice versa. The compound used in lifting the firework is " Black powder" . Typical composition of Black powder is potassium nitrate 75 %, charcoal 15%, sulfur 10 %. This is just one of the composition . At present there are many variations done to obtain the desired intensity of explosion of firework. The key point is to trap the gas and heat in the bottom of the firework and as the gas pressurizes it will build force to an extent that it gives the aerial lift to the rocket.