Firework Colors
Firework colors are generated by adding different inorganic salts to the exploding mixture. Barium salts produce greens, strontium makes red, sodium makes yellow/orange, potassium makes purple. The whites and golds are made with mixtures of iron, magnesium, aluminum. Blues are produced by using copper salts. Copper is hard to work with. In every explosion, the heat generated excites electrons to higher energy levels. When they relax, they release the color. Copper tends to decompose at too high a temperature and then there is no blue. If it's not hot enough, the electrons won't be excited enough to emit the blue color. Blue and purple are the most difficult firework colors to make. Orange is the easiest.
