Ah, that isn't a problem. There are four components to aerial fireworks, like the ones at the afterparty.
1) A container, to keep everything together, made of paper with some string. 2) A 'star', which creates the characteristic sparkles. There are four parts to that as well: a fuel, oxidizer, steel powder and a binder. The fuel is usually black powder. The oxidiser is there to create more oxygen and help the firework burn better. The oxidiser is commonly potassium nitrate, because it is willing to give up its oxygen easily. Steel powder to create the sparks. And a binder to make sure that it will clump together and not explode like dynamite, usually sugar or a starch. Inside the star are usually the chemicals that give the firework its colours. 3) A bursting charge, which is more black powder to give it the energy to rise into the air. 4) And a fuse, to make sure that the firework doesn't explode immediately.
It's launched using a mortar attached to the bottom of the firework and the initial bursting charge pushes it into the air. It doesn't actually explode until it's in the air, because the fire is timed to not reach the 'stars' until the right altitude is reached.
Here's a picture to help visualize it: http://s.hswstatic.com/gif/firework1.gif
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2014-07-28 06:36 pm (UTC)1) A container, to keep everything together, made of paper with some string.
2) A 'star', which creates the characteristic sparkles. There are four parts to that as well: a fuel, oxidizer, steel powder and a binder. The fuel is usually black powder. The oxidiser is there to create more oxygen and help the firework burn better. The oxidiser is commonly potassium nitrate, because it is willing to give up its oxygen easily. Steel powder to create the sparks. And a binder to make sure that it will clump together and not explode like dynamite, usually sugar or a starch. Inside the star are usually the chemicals that give the firework its colours.
3) A bursting charge, which is more black powder to give it the energy to rise into the air.
4) And a fuse, to make sure that the firework doesn't explode immediately.
It's launched using a mortar attached to the bottom of the firework and the initial bursting charge pushes it into the air. It doesn't actually explode until it's in the air, because the fire is timed to not reach the 'stars' until the right altitude is reached.
Here's a picture to help visualize it: http://s.hswstatic.com/gif/firework1.gif