Editing Fireworks (section)

==Pyrotechnic compounds==
{{Main|Pyrotechnic composition}}
[[File:Flametest--Cu.swn.jpg|right|thumb|[[Copper]] compounds glow green or blue-green in a flame.]]
[[File:Fireworks_shell.jpg|thumb|right|Fireworks shell]]
Colors in fireworks are usually generated by '''''[[pyrotechnic star]]s'''''—usually just called '''''stars'''''—which produce intense light when ignited. Stars contain four basic types of ingredients.
* A '''fuel'''
* An '''oxidizer'''—a compound that combines with the fuel to produce intense heat
* '''Color'''-producing salts (when the fuel itself is not the colorant)
* A '''binder''' which holds the pellet together.

Some of the more common [[Pyrotechnic colorant|color-producing compounds]] are tabulated here. The color of a compound in a firework will be the same as its color in a [[flame test]] (shown at right). Not all compounds that produce a colored flame are appropriate for coloring fireworks, however. Ideal colorants will produce a pure, intense color when present in moderate concentration.

The color of [[Spark (fire)|sparks]] is limited to red/orange, yellow/gold and white/silver. This is explained by light emission from an incandescent solid particle in contrast to the element-specific emission from the vapor phase of a flame.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kosanke |first1=Kenneth L. |title=Selected Pyrotechnic Publications of K. L. and B. J. Kosanke, Part 4: 1995 Through 1997 |last2=Kosanke |first2=Bonnie J. |last3=Jennings-White |first3=C. |date=1999 |publisher=Journal of Pyrotechnics |isbn=978-1-889526-12-6 |pages=49–62 |chapter=Pyrotechnic Spark Generation |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e4GOAIA8HaEC&pg=PA49}}</ref> Light emitted from a solid particle is defined by [[black-body radiation]]. Low boiling metals can form sparks with an intensively colored glowing shell surrounding the basic particle.<ref name="spark">{{cite journal |last1=Lederle |first1=Felix |last2=Koch |first2=Jannis |last3=Hübner |first3=Eike G. |date=21 February 2019 |title=Colored Sparks |journal=European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry |volume=2019 |issue=7 |pages=928–37 |doi=10.1002/ejic.201801300 |s2cid=104449284}}</ref> This is caused by vapor phase combustion of the metal.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Color
![[Metal]]
!Example compounds
|-
| Red
| Strontium (intense red)
Lithium (medium red)
| SrCO<sub>3</sub> ([[strontium carbonate]])
Li<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub> ([[lithium carbonate]]) LiCl ([[lithium chloride]])
|-
| Orange
| Calcium
| CaCl<sub>2</sub> ([[calcium chloride]])
|-
| Yellow
| Sodium
| NaNO<sub>3</sub> ([[sodium nitrate]])
|-
| Green
| Barium
| BaCl<sub>2</sub> ([[barium chloride]])
|-
| Blue
| Copper [[halide]]s
| CuCl<sub>2</sub> ([[copper(II) chloride]]), at low temperature
|-
| Indigo
| Caesium
| CsNO<sub>3</sub> ([[caesium nitrate]])
|-
| Violet
| Potassium
Rubidium (violet-red)
| KNO<sub>3</sub> ([[potassium nitrate]])
RbNO<sub>3</sub> ([[rubidium nitrate]])
|-
| Gold
| colspan="2" |[[Charcoal]], [[iron]], or [[lampblack]]
|-
| White
| colspan="2" |[[Titanium]], [[aluminium]], or [[magnesium]] powders
|}

The brightest stars, often called '''Mag Stars''', are fueled by [[aluminium]]. [[Magnesium]] is rarely used in the fireworks industry due to its lack of ability to form a protective oxide layer. Often an alloy of both metals called [[magnalium]] is used.

Many of the chemicals used in the manufacture of fireworks are non-toxic, while many more have some degree of toxicity, can cause skin sensitivity, or exist in dust form and are thereby inhalation hazards. Still others are poisons if directly ingested or inhaled.

===Common elements in pyrotechnics===
The following table lists the principal elements used in modern pyrotechnics. Some elements are used in their elemental form such as particles of titanium, aluminium, iron, zirconium, and magnesium. These elements burn in the presence of air (O2) or oxidants (perchlorate, chlorate). Most elements in pyrotechnics are in the form of salts.<ref name="Ullmann" />

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Symbol
! Name
! Fireworks usage
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |'''Al'''
| [[Aluminium]]
| Aluminium metal is used to produce silver and white flames and sparks. It is a common component of sparklers.
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |'''Ba'''
| [[Barium]]
| Barium salts are used to create green colors in fireworks, and it can also help stabilize other volatile elements.
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |'''C'''
|[[Carbon]]
|Carbon is one of the main components of black powder, which is used as a propellent in fireworks. Carbon provides the fuel for a firework. Common forms include carbon black, sugar, or starch.
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |'''Cl'''
|[[Chlorine]]
|Chlorate and perchlorates are common oxidizers.
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |'''Cu'''
|[[Copper]]
|Copper compounds produce blue colors.
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |'''Fe'''
|[[Iron]]
|Iron powder is used to produce sparks in sparklers.
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |'''K'''
|[[Potassium]]
|[[Potassium nitrate]], [[potassium chlorate]], and [[potassium perchlorate]] are common oxidizers. The potassium content imparts a faint violet color to the sparks.
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |'''Mg'''
|[[Magnesium]]
|Magnesium metal burns a very bright white, so it is used to add white sparks or improve the overall brilliance of a firework.
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |'''Na'''
|[[Sodium]]
|Sodium imparts a gold or yellow color to fireworks, however, the color is often so bright that it frequently masks other, less intense colors. [[Sodium lamp]]s operate with the same optical emission.
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |'''O'''
|[[Oxygen]]
|Oxygen is a component of chlorate and perchlorate, common oxidizers.
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |'''S'''
|[[Sulfur]]
|Sulfur is a component of black powder, and as such, it is found in a propellant/fuel.
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |'''Sr'''
|[[Strontium]]
|Strontium salts impart a red color.
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |'''Ti'''
|[[Titanium]]
|Titanium metal can be burned as powder or flakes to produce silver sparks.
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |'''Zr'''
|[[Zirconium]]
|Zirconium, like titanium, burns to produce oxides that emit brightly.  It is used in "waterfalls".
|}