New Year’s Eve is getting closer and closer, and just like every year, we ask ourselves: how is it possible for rockets and fireworks to illuminate the sky in such different colors and forms? The New Year’s Eve fireworks are just a part of pyrotechnics, and that’s why all of them work in a fairly similar manner. The different colors and movements are produced by chemical reactions.
Delayed Explosions
The fireworks contain mixtures that create either a bang or illumination. The respective mixture is made up either of a combustible material, an oxidation material, and catalysts. The pyrotechnics has a different way of exploding, depending on the composition and use of various materials. After all, it’s nothing but a delayed explosion in the fireworks. Most rockets don’t just have one, but rather several charges. That is how the wide patterns covering the sky on New Year’s Eve are made. But what determines the color? Various salts in different mixtures are responsible. Sodium salts, for example, create a bright yellow color, while copper salts cover more of the blue hues. The head created by lighting, and the resulting explosion, animates the electrons in the device. The movement creates light with a certain wavelength, which ultimately determines the color. The various atoms and salts produce the wavelengths characteristic for their color.
Enough Theory?
We have a video of the Pyrogames 2017 in Rostock to tide you over until New Year’s Eve. The fireworks show takes place in a different city each year. Award-winning pyrotechnic experts from all over Germany compete against each other and show what they’re capable of. This breathtaking show is definitely worth a visit, especially for fans of New Year’s Eve.
In keeping with this, we wish you all a fantastic New Year’s Eve with breathtaking fireworks and a happy new year in 2018!
