Playing with Fire 

One of our favourite festivals in India is Deepavali, or Diwali as people in North India call it. During this festival, crackers burst in the night sky with loud sounds and bright, colourful lights. Many of us may wonder how these fireworks are made and what is inside them.

The science of making fireworks is called Pyrotechnics. Pyrotechnics is not just about fireworks—it also includes other things like safety matches we use every day, and even the solid fuel used in rockets that go into space.

Activity: Fireworks show many effects together—heat, smoke, light, gas, and sound.
But why do these effects happen? Some historians believe that black powder (the main material in fireworks) was first made in India. But the Chinese are usually known as the true inventors of pyrotechnics. They made black powder more than a thousand years ago. Black powder is also called gunpowder, and in Europe, Roger Bacon is credited with its invention.

Fireworks give out incandescent light. This happens when a substance becomes so hot that it starts glowing. First it glows red, then orange, yellow, and finally white as the heat increases. By controlling the temperature, the glow of metals inside fireworks can be changed to show different colours at the right time.

The basic idea of any firework is simple: when heat is applied to the fuel (gunpowder), it burns with the help of oxygen. Because the fuel is tightly packed, the burning happens all at once. This sudden burning produces the loud sound we hear when fireworks burst.

But pyrotechnics is also dangerous because it involves fire. If the mixture is kept cool and dry, it is safe. But if heat is applied by mistake, it can easily catch fire. That is why we must always follow safety rules while using fireworks—otherwise, they can be harmful.

Question :

Who burns the fireworks?