Question

Students are at a July 4th Fireworks Show. They see fireworks that are red, green, and yellow. What elements were probably present in these fireworks? Be sure to

tell which element goes with which color.

Answer 1

Fireworks produce different colors by adding certain chemicals to the combustion reaction. Here are some of the elements that could be present in the fireworks to produce red, green, and yellow colors:

• Red: Strontium (Sr) or Lithium (Li) salts are commonly used to produce red fireworks.
• Green: Barium (Ba) salts are used to create green fireworks.
• Yellow: Sodium (Na) compounds, such as sodium nitrate or sodium chloride, are often used to create yellow fireworks.

So it is likely that some combination of these elements and their compounds were used to produce the red, green, and yellow fireworks.