INDIANA— With the Fourth of July around the corner, have you ever wondered what makes fireworks boom, sparkle, and glow in red, green, or blue? A Purdue University chemistry professor breaks down the science behind the sparkle.
Marcy Towns says fireworks are all about timed explosions and chemical reactions. A fuse lights black powder to launch the firework, while a second fuse triggers the colorful burst. Each hue comes from a different element — strontium for red, sodium for yellow, barium for green, and copper for blue.
Sparkles come from metals like aluminum and magnesium. Whistles? That’s gas escaping from a narrow tube, like blowing across a bottle.
When you watch fireworks this holiday, you’re seeing chemistry in action, lighting up the night sky.
