BANG! Light and color burst overhead against a dark sky. Sparkles shower down like giant spider legs or twist and shoot into the night. Fireworks have delighted people for centuries.
WHAT ARE FIREWORKS MADE FROM?
Fireworks are small rockets filled with substances that burn brightly. Most are made from powdered chemicals packed into a stiff paper case. Tiny flecks of metals give fireworks their color. A little bit of the metal copper, for instance, can make an explosion bright blue.
Early fireworks were made from charcoal, sulfur, and saltpeter. These are also the ingredients of gunpowder.
HOW LONG HAVE FIREWORKS BEEN AROUND?
The ancient Chinese were the first to mix and package explosives as fireworks, almost 1,000 years ago. They used the fireworks as war rockets and shot them at their enemies. When the Mongols invaded China and other countries during the 1200s, they brought Chinese gunpowder and fireworks to Europe.
By the 1600s, Europeans commonly lit fireworks during celebrations. Fireworks gained popularity in the United States in the mid-1800s.
TYPES OF FIREWORKS
The largest, most spectacular fireworks are called skyrockets. They are the ones that explode high in the sky. Bottle rockets are small versions of skyrockets that are sometimes shot out of a bottle with a whistle and a bang.
Some types of fireworks don’t shoot high into the sky. Firecrackers stay on the ground and mostly produce noise. Roman candles are packed in round containers. When lit, Roman candles spout balls of colorful light. Catherine wheels and pinwheels are fireworks attached to a wheel. When exploded, these fireworks spin the wheel in a blaze of bright light.
FIREWORKS CAN BE DANGEROUS
Fireworks can cause burns and injuries, especially to children. Today, many states have made all but the simplest fireworks illegal. Most huge firework displays, such as Fourth of July celebrations, are put on by professionals.
WHAT ARE FIREWORKS MADE FROM?
Fireworks are small rockets filled with substances that burn brightly. Most are made from powdered chemicals packed into a stiff paper case. Tiny flecks of metals give fireworks their color. A little bit of the metal copper, for instance, can make an explosion bright blue.
Early fireworks were made from charcoal, sulfur, and saltpeter. These are also the ingredients of gunpowder.
HOW LONG HAVE FIREWORKS BEEN AROUND?
The ancient Chinese were the first to mix and package explosives as fireworks, almost 1,000 years ago. They used the fireworks as war rockets and shot them at their enemies. When the Mongols invaded China and other countries during the 1200s, they brought Chinese gunpowder and fireworks to Europe.
By the 1600s, Europeans commonly lit fireworks during celebrations. Fireworks gained popularity in the United States in the mid-1800s.
TYPES OF FIREWORKS
The largest, most spectacular fireworks are called skyrockets. They are the ones that explode high in the sky. Bottle rockets are small versions of skyrockets that are sometimes shot out of a bottle with a whistle and a bang.
Some types of fireworks don’t shoot high into the sky. Firecrackers stay on the ground and mostly produce noise. Roman candles are packed in round containers. When lit, Roman candles spout balls of colorful light. Catherine wheels and pinwheels are fireworks attached to a wheel. When exploded, these fireworks spin the wheel in a blaze of bright light.
FIREWORKS CAN BE DANGEROUS
Fireworks can cause burns and injuries, especially to children. Today, many states have made all but the simplest fireworks illegal. Most huge firework displays, such as Fourth of July celebrations, are put on by professionals.
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