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After reading the introductory material on pyrotechnics and visiting the Kaboom website, please answer the following questions on your own paper. You will need to reach the transcript of the episode as well to answer some of the questions. I hope you will appreciate some of the pyrotechnicalities that fireworks producers consider when making their artwork. Besides, it's the closest to blowing things up that we will have in lab!
note: you may wish to open a new browser window and open this page in the new window while accessing the Kaboom site. Easier to find questions that way, and cut/paste answers into a text document. Don't forget the "Find" function [under the Edit menu] to more easily locate information! The divide and conquer method may be helpful for efficiency!
- to Orbitals etc.
- to chemistry homepage
- Kaboom site
- transcript site
- Word of warning
- "How stuff works" site on fireworks
- More on light and color in fireworks
- Still more on color [but not great English grammar]
- What to know
- How to make 1
- How to make 2
- How to make 3
- Make your own [sort of]
- Zambelli fireworks
- Safety info
- to chemistry homepage
- to Orbitals etc.for a bit more in depth information on spectra etc.as well as the next assignment!
1. Where do the colors of fireworks come from? [check here for info for 1-3]
2. How does emitted energy from an excited atom relate to the color produced?
3. Why are there different colors emitted by elements?
4. What elements are used in making fireworks? [See Kaboom site at left]
5. Categorize the elements based on their primary function as
| spark producers | coloring agents | oxidizers |
| fuel | stabilizers | smoke agents & glitter effects |
6. Describe the components of a firework's anatomy.
7. What is the purpose of the break?
8. What are star "brownies"?
9. What element/compound is used to make red? white? orange? green? yellow? blue? Why is blue so hard to make? [go to pyrotechnics, then colour & light]
10. Why must firework makers wear only cotton clothing?
11. What does the main fuse light?
12. When/where was black powder discovered and what is it made of? [no, we aren't going to make any!!]
13. When should a three break firework ignite?
14. How high do fireworks go in the air?
15. From the Kaboom transcript, what did Christopher Cullen do? [transcript also helpful for the next questions]
16. What was the first pyrotechnic weapon?
17. Who lit the fuse of European warfare? [hint] How?
18. What is a low explosive?
19. What provides the power of nitroglycerine?
20. Which explosive blows up at the touch of a feather? [and no, I don't think we will make this either]
21. What does the shock wave do in a detonation?
22. Who was the father of high explosives? [another hint] What did he do?
23. Why was kieselguhr important?
24. What is ballastite?
25. When did production of fireworks really "take off"? Why?
26. What is an oxidizer and why are they used in pyrotechnics?
27. How hot do sparklers get as opposed to fireworks? Convert this to Celcius temp.[You'll have to check out the patent information page for this one.]
28. Rank the colors of light from #9 above from lowest to highest energy.
Let's tie all this together [a synthesis question]:
29. What compounds would you use to make a firework with
a. purple light
b. white smoke, glitter and yellow-green light
c. light in the 4950 x 10-10 m range
d. light in the 5575 x 10-10 m range
30. What was the most interesting thing you learned in this lesson?