Thermochemistry and Pyrotechnics

Pyrotechnics is the science of making materials that have the ability to do self contained and sustained chemical reactions which create heat, light, gas, smoke and sound. The most common type of pyrotechnics was known are display pyrotechnics or fireworks. Thermo chemistry studies chemical reactions based on kinetic energy, particularly focusing on energy changes during the reaction (phase changing). Display pyrotechnics is a perfect example of thermo chemistry at work. Fireworks tend to get their color from two different types of mechanisms, Incandescence and luminescence. Incandescence gets the color of the light from varying heats. Heat glows initially emitting infrared colors then cover a spectrum of red, orange, yellow and white. Through control of the heat of the explosion one can control what color the firework Is. This is how incandescence mechanisms in fireworks can change colors. Luminescence use energy other than heat to produce different light. It is also called cold light sometimes because it can occur in room temperature or colder temperatures. To make a luminescence an electron or molecule absorbs energy until it becomes unstable, then when the molecule returns to a normal level state the energy is released in the form of light. The amount of energy determines what color it is. Through new innovations with pyrotechnics we can see the full extent that thermo chemistry can affect our lives.