Written by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Writer

Dexter, Missouri - Every year Americans empty their wallets buying fireworks for the Fourth of July holiday. According to the American Pyrotechnic Association, in the year 2010 alone Americans spent more than $600 million on fireworks. But how exactly do these creations work?

According to Dr. Nikolay Gerasimchuk, associate professor of chemistry at Missouri State University, fireworks are a type of inorganic chemistry that contains two very important classes of compounds: propellants and explosives.

The colors visible when a firework explodes are caused by a large volume of gases mixing with heat, which creates the ignition of certain particles within the firework:

Magnesium and pieces of burning foil create the look of a shower of white stars falling from the sky.

Barium nitrate and copper creates a bright green color.

Potassium mixed with lithium creates a soft lilac color in the sky.

Together with the mixing of certain gases we get many beautiful colors.  Silver is the burning of aluminum, titanium, or magnesium powder or flakes.  Yellow is the burning of sodium compounds and orange is created when calcium salts are burned.

Though the origins of fireworks was not associated with the 4th of July, but with New Year's Eve; however It has now become an annual tradition that everyone enjoys.

The Dexter Fireworks Display will be held at dusk on Wednesday, July 3rd.  Bloomfield Fireworks Display will be held on July 4th.