Gunpowder Research Paper

Words: 976
Pages: 4

Chemistry is the science that breaks down each every substance. It helps investigate what things are made of and how. Chemistry is a good way of learning how to do things or make things from scratch. This paper will explain how our standards match or help create rockets, fireworks, dynamite, or anything that has an exploding reaction.” Fireworks are devices containing gunpowder and other combustible chemicals that causes a spectacular explosion when ignited.” (Oxford Dictionaries) They are very beautiful to watch during celebration but not everyone knows what even makes them fly high, burst at the right time, and makes them colorful. By the end of the research paper , you will understand what chemistry has to do with fireworks and pyrotechnics. …show more content…
When a firework reacts many products are produced and the products are very complicated, for example the closest equation there is for this reaction is (6 KNO3 + C7H4O + 2 S → K2CO3 + K2SO4 + K2S + 4 CO2 + 2 CO + 2 H2O + 3 N2). Oxidation is used to burn the mixture of reducing agents. Most oxidizers are nitrates which is a major factor in black powder. Nitrates are made up of nitrate ions (NO3-) with metal ions. Most common oxidizer is (2KNO3) which when reacted produces (K2O + N2 + 2.5 …show more content…
For instance, the boom that some fireworks make include flash powder. This is made of potassium perchlorate (KCLO4) and sulfur. What really causes the explosion is the heat and gas build up inside of the firework shell. The explosion creates a wave that releases a lot of kilojoules at once. The wave that the explosion creates causes particles to follow a certain waveform pattern called Friedlander Waveform. (Dynamite fireworks) The shapes are packed inside of the firework the same way we see them in the sky. For exhtample if you see one shaped like a flag in the sky, it looks the same in the unexploded firework. If fireworks are seen upside down, that was not planned that’s just how they exploded in the sky. That’s the only thing firework manufacturers have yet to figure out; how they explode when they go up into the