Fireworks create vibrant colors and patterns through carefully orchestrated chemical reactions and metal salts heated to glowing temperatures.

Modern pyrotechnics is a sophisticated field of chemistry with roots stretching back to 7th-century China during the Tang Dynasty. The vibrant colors we see are produced through incandescence and luminescence. When metal salts are heated, their electrons jump to higher energy levels and release that energy as light when falling back down. Each element emits a specific wavelength of light, corresponding to a unique color on the visible spectrum.For example, strontium carbonate produces deep reds, while barium chloride creates bright greens. Blue is notoriously difficult to achieve because copper chloride is unstable at high temperatures and requires precise chemical balancing to prevent color washout. These chemical mixtures are packed into small pellets called stars, typically ranging from 3 to 20 millimeters in diameter. The arrangement of these stars around the central burst charge determines the final pattern—such as peony, chrysanthemum, or willow shapes.Timing is controlled by a pyrotechnic delay fuse, usually made of black powder, which burns at a predictable rate of approximately 3 seconds per inch. This allows the firework to reach its peak altitude—typically between 60 and 300 meters—before dispersing its contents. According to the American Pyrotechnics Association, the chemistry must be exact to ensure both safety and visual consistency. Modern displays now use electronic firing systems to synchronize explosions with millisecond precision.