Explosions and bright colors of fireworks, which are admired by millions of people, owe their existence to quantum physics. Versed in the process of their work, you can understand how complex and fascinating these phenomena are.
Components of Fireworks
Fireworks consist of four main stages: launch, wick, explosion, and stars. The main ingredients for their creation are sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate. Sulfur is a yellow solid substance found in volcanically active areas, potassium nitrate is contained in natural sources, such as a bird drop of bats. The charcoal used in fireworks is a carbon residue from the carbonization of organic material, such as a tree. All these ingredients are mixed into thin black powder – gunpowder.
The launch begins with the first explosion, known as the lifting charge. This explosion provides an impulse that accelerates the fireworks up and lights the main wick that explodes the fireworks at the peak of its rise. The dimensions of fireworks vary from small (5 cm in diameter and rise height 60 m) to large (with a diameter of 90 cm and lifting height 300 m).
The wick usually consists of black gunpowder surrounded by textile material covered with wax or varnish for water resistance. The internal wick rod controls the combustion rate determined by the material, quantity, and diameter of the threads. Slow combustion wick can take up to 30 seconds per foot, while the fast -hot wick burns out in seconds.
Explosive Charge and Distribution of Stars
The explosion of the explosion controls the size and distribution of stars. Inside the fireworks, the wick is connected to the explosion charge, surrounded by stars that create color. The charge can be a simple gunpowder or complex composition, for example, outbreak powder, creating multi-stage explosions. Different chemical compounds in the stars give different colors due to quantum transitions that determine the energy levels of the substance.
Colors of Fireworks
When the stars reach a sufficient temperature, they emit light. For example, sodium, when heated, radiates yellow light because of its narrow emission lines at 588 and 589 nanometers. There are various elements and compounds, such as barium, copper, and strontium, which can create a wide range of visible colors.
Perception of Colors
It is interesting that the color that we see may not coincide with the true color emitted by the fireworks. Our eyes perceive the color based on the reaction of