• Question: Is a firework a chemical reaction?

    Asked by darcia18 to PB on 26 Jun 2013.
    • Photo: Peter Balfe

      Peter Balfe answered on 26 Jun 2013:

      Yes, a mixture of a metal powder and an oxidiser to burn it. The colours you see are the light emission spectra of the burning metals, for example sodium burns bright yellow, lithium burns red, etc. etc.

Comments