Incandescence is light produced from heat. Causing the substance to become hotter, heat emits red, then orange, yellow, and eventually white light as the firework becomes increasingly hotter.
By controlling the temperature of a firework, the glowing components can be manipulated to emit different colors. Metals likes aluminum, magnesium, and titanium are used to increase the temperature of a firework, and thus, emit a bright color.
Luminescence is light that is produced using energy sources other than heat. Luminescence is produced when energy is absorbed by an electron of an atom or molecule; when the electron returns to a lower energy level, it releases the energy in the form of light. The energy of the light particle determines its wavelength and color. The more energy a photon, or light particle, has, the shorter the wavelength and darker the light is on the light spectrum.
Certain molecules emit light that is visible; these molecules are used to produce the colors that we see in fireworks. Some molecules emit light that cannot be seen so they must be combined with another element to stabilize. Barium is an example of an element that must be combined with chlorinated rubber, because it is unstable at room temperature.
1 comment:
Similar to Schuyler, you cover the basica of pyrotechnics, yet leave us--the audience--wondering 'what's the connection to thermochemistry?' By _defining_ thermochemistry, a relationship may be established, and through that an understanding.
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