[DandyStudent]

Hola,

Recently had my birthday and with 'curse of the chemist' i started thinking of what was actually occurring at the time of the reaction. I have looked at wikipedia, and other places that tried to explain, but it felt somewhat aimed towards someone who has a degree in chemistry (Intense terminology).

What i was wondering you guys could break it down to a student, who is currently in a Chemistry 12 course (with words that a grade 12 chemistry student would most likely know-or just add definitions in brackets)

First post, looking forward to be apart of this forum.

[Dan]

As far as I know you are essentially just burning metal. The reaction is highly exothermic, which is why you get glowing sparks.

Metal + Oxygen -> Metal Oxide

The source of oxygen is an oxidising agent in the sparkler.

[Arkcon]

The wikipedia article is geared more towards a pyrotechnicist.  But what's there is the simplest way to describe the item, a sparkler, while covering every possible formulation, and still not giving exact formulas so people don't try to mix them up in a basement.  Metal + fuel + oxidizer + air  metal oxide + heat + light, like Dan: said.  If you're really interested in how fireworks function, you can read a book on pyrotechnics.  Some of the best authors -- Weingart (talks about crazy stuff, he's from the 1940's), Lancaster (known as Master Blaster Pastor -- Anglican Minister who did the fireworks for Charles and Diana's wedding), and Davis (who tends to fill in the gaps between the two.)  Fireworks are more chemical engineering than chemistry.  We know certain mixtures of fuel and oxidizer burn fast and hot -- how to get them to pop,  or burn fiercely, and not explode like a bomb -- that's more about shaping the mixture, and dulling it with inert additives.

[DandyStudent]

Thanks a bunch guys! Really helpful. Rather interested on the subject now.