what are fireworks made of

Fireworks are made of a few main parts: a fuel, an oxidizer, color-producing chemicals, and a shell or casing that holds everything together.

What’s inside

• Fuel and oxidizer: These create the heat and reaction that make the firework burn and burst.

• Color compounds: Different metal salts create different colors, like red, green, or blue.

• Black powder in many fireworks: A classic mix of potassium nitrate, charcoal, and sulfur is often used to ignite or propel the firework.

• Shell and fuse: The outer casing, fuse, and timing parts control when and how the firework explodes.

Why they look different

The color, sound, and shape depend on the chemicals used and how tightly the firework is packed. Some metals make sparks, while other compounds create whistles, booms, or colored stars.

Simple example

A typical aerial shell is launched upward by a lift charge, then a burst charge inside the shell breaks apart to spread the colored stars in the sky.

TL;DR: Fireworks are basically controlled chemical reactions inside a timed shell, designed to make light, color, sound, and motion.