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The chemistry of fireworks
Teaching resources and articles investigating the spectacular chemistry behind pyrotechnics
Read storyThe chemistry of fireworks
Teaching resources and articles investigating the spectacular chemistry behind pyrotechnics
Read storyResources and activities
Lesson plans
How are fireworks and gunpowder made? | 14-16 years
Explore how fireworks and gunpowder are made using a mixture of chemicals in this lesson plan and directed activity related to text (DART) for 14–16 year olds.
Investigating the chemistry of how fireworks work | 14-16 years
Explore the principles behind fireworks and what makes the different colours we see when they go off using this lesson plan with activities for 14–16 year olds.
Video lectures
Types of fireworks
Reverend Ron Lancaster MBE demonstrates some of the different types of fireworks, including rockets, shells and Roman candles.
Chemistry of fireworks
Reverend Ron Lancaster MBE showcases how chemistry is involved in making fireworks with some fantastic demonstrations.
Resource packs
The chemistry behind fireworks
Discover practical experiments, a DART and other activities for 11–16 year olds, exploring key chemical concepts in the context of fireworks.
Design your own fireworks show
This C/PBL resource asks undergraduate students to design, organise and run a simluated fireworks display. It is intended to support the development of key transferable skills in a discipline-specific context and requires some basic undergraduate chemistry knowledge. This resource includes an activity pack containing worksheets, briefing papers and presentations, allowing ...
Experiments and demonstrations
The rainbow flame demonstration
How to do it safely
Flame tests (the wooden splint method)
Find a new method to perform flame tests using wooden splints soaked in chlorides. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Flame tests using metal salts
In this classic science experiment, students report on the colours produced when flame tests are carried out on different metal salts.
Discover more about fireworks
Fireworks: the art and science
Hayley Bennett investigates the chemistry of pyrotechnics
Fire and light in the sky
A close look at the history and science of fireworks, used over centuries in celebrations across the world
Header image © Will Cheung