Pyrotechnics is the art of making or displaying fireworks. Pyrotechnics is making fireworks with materials that are prone to exothermic reactions which is the release of heat. In our previous classes, we have been talking about Thermochemistry which is the chemistry that studies the reaction of heat with different chemicals. Pyrotechnics is just another example of Thermochemistry. When we see fireworks, we see a bunch of different colors. Two processes achieve these different colors: luminescence (light produced by other sources than heat) and incandescence (light produced from heat). Incandescence is when the substance becomes hotter and heat emits, red, orange, yellow and then white light when the fireworks are increasing in temperature. If you control the temperature of a firework, the different lights of color can be manipulated. Fireworks usually contain different metals such magnesium, steel, aluminum, titanium which are used to increase the temperature of the firework causing a brighter color. Luminescence like I said before is light produced using energy other than heat. Since heat is not involved, it is produced when energy is absorbed by an electron of a molecule or atom. When the electron from the atom or molecule goes back to a lower energy level than it was before, it releases that energy in the form of light. If the light particle has more energy, the wavelength will be shorter and the light released will be darker. Messing around with the heat of fireworks is just another example of Thermochemistry.
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