How Fireworks Work: Design, Performance, & Chemistry

At a very early age, I would go on summer camping trips. I remember every night being handed a pack of sparklers that were my own, to swing around wildly, which gave me many valuable life lessons on cause and effect.

My curiosity with fireworks grew continually throughout my teens, and many days were spent staring at burnt firework remains, trying to figure out exactly how they worked.

After years of research into the chemistry, safety, and laws involved, I eventually began to build my own fireworks. It has been a decade since then, and there is still much to learn about the hundreds of different aspects that are involved in this very spectacular art form.

Fortunately, the basics of how fireworks work can be understood in a rather short period of time. In the following video I demonstrate the basic principles of how an aerial firework shell operates.

To truly understand fireworks, you must also have an understanding of the chemistry involved. There is an extremely wide variety of reactions that can be made to take place for the various effects that are formed in the sky, but once again the basics are fairly simple. The following video will explain further.

For those who would like to learn more about fireworks, I highly recommend seeking out and joining a local pyrotechnics club. There are many scattered all about the USA that are continually seeking out new members to teach the intricacies of the art of pyrotechnics to. A list of the clubs that are open to new membership can be found here.

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