5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Fireworks

It's that time of year when people across the country ignite their Excalibur fireworks or stack up the cakes for an extravaganza in commemoration of America's birthday.

But where and when did the fireworks displays begin? What's the mechanism behind these explosions? 

The list below offers some insights about how it all started, how it evolved, and some fascinating figures behind the industry.

1. The Chinese Invented the First Fireworks

Even though modern fireworks showed up in the 1830s, history has it that we've been lighting fireworks for the last 2000 years.

As early as 200 BC, the Chinese accidentally invented firecrackers when they wrote on green bamboo and tossed them into the fire to dry. They discovered that the hollow pockets in the bamboo would expand and explode if they stayed over the burning coals for too long.

As time progressed, the Chinese alchemists discovered gunpowder when combining potassium nitrate, charcoal, and sulfur. So finally, they'd load the gunpowder into bamboo sticks and ignite them to produce explosive bangs.

There you have it: the world's first fireworks.

2. China May Have Invented the Firework, But Italy Gave Them Color

If you attended a pyrotechnic display in 800 AD, it would be a different experience from what you'd see today in colorful barrages or dazzling Excalibur fireworks. The Chinese created fireworks, but the Italians were the first to master the experiments truly.

The original fireworks were just sticks of bamboo, which created series of small, noisy explosions. There were no added colors until 1830, when Italian pyrotechnicians introduced colors by burning different metallic powders.

3. Fireworks Are Merely Chemical Reactions

The colorful explosions that light up the skies are merely chemical reactions that liberate three energy forms: sound, light, and heat. 

The key firework components that sponsor these reactions include an oxidizer, a fuel, and a chemical mixture. When you ignite the oxidizer, it excites the electron in the fuel and liberates the energy stored in the bonds.

The type of color that emerges from the reaction depends on the chemical mixture. For example, barium yields green color, sodium produces yellow, and calcium makes orange.

4. The Largest Firework Rocket Weighed 2800 Pounds

Unlike the 60-gram Excalibur fireworks or another firework, you're used to, the largest tube that has ever exploded was as heavy as a Toyota Corolla.

After spending a month putting the pieces together, a team at Steamboat Fireworks arrived at a 26-feet-long firework shell weighing almost 2,800 pounds. This firework shell earned a spot in the Guinness Records as the biggest single firework ever detonated.

During the Winter Carnival in the Colorado Rockies town, the super-sized firework ascended about a mile into the air at 300 mph before exploding over Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

5. The Largest Firework Display Lasted an Hour

More than 100,000 people converged at Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church of Christ) (Philippines) on the New Year's celebration in 2016 to witness the largest firework display ever. 

The celebration, which took place at Philippine Arena, Ciudad de Victoria Bocaue Bulacan, featured the launch of 810,904 fireworks into the sky. And the display lasted for 1 hour, 1 minute, 32.35 seconds.

Conclusion

These facts and figures help us to appreciate the use of fireworks in celebrations.  Safety is essential when you're launching your firewood at home.

Additionally, animals don't share in the fun we have with fireworks. If you have a pet, remember to keep them indoors when the fireworks start raining.