Sparkler
- For the beer serving device, see Beer engine
- For the "Sparkers" software label, see Creative Sparks.
A sparkler is a type of hand-held firework that burns slowly while emitting colored flames, sparks, and many effects.
The "classic" type of sparkler consists of a thin metal rod approximately 20 cm (8 inches) long that has been dipped in a thick batter of pyrotechnic composition and allowed to dry. This composition is rich in a metallic fuel such as aluminium or iron, which when burned creates silver or gold colored sparks, respectively. The fuel typically contains potassium nitrate or sometimes potassium chlorate as an oxidizer, sometimes with sulfur and carbon. Colored flame can be achieved by addition of nitrates or chlorides of barium (light green), copper (blue/green), or strontium (red).
A more modern type of sparkler, known as the "Morning Glory", consists of a long, thin paper tube filled with composition and attached to a wooden rod using brightly-colored tissue paper and ribbon. Several different compositions can be packed into a single tube, resulting in a sparkler that changes color. However, some people take the tubes, break them in half, and spill the powder out in a container, such as a butter container, and throw a match in. These "sparkler bombs", while not bombs, do emit an incredibly bright and high flame, albeit briefly (about 1 second). Sparkler bombs have also been made using classic sparklers by binding many together and lighting them, or crushing the solid pyrotechnic composition into a fine powder. Sparklers that are bound together, when burned will produce a bright flash with an extremely loud report. Sparklers that are either crushed or poorly bound will either flash brightly or travel like a rocket. Due to fire and projectile danger, both are not recommended. The resulting device may also exceed legal limits on firework size, and be illegal to manufacture or possess without a permit; in the U.S., devices with more than 50 milligrams of explosive composition require a permit.
In the United Kingdom, a sparkler is often used by children at bonfire and fireworks displays on the 5th November, the Guy Fawkes Night - as this is significant to the day.
Safety issues
Sparklers are responsible for the vast majority of legal firework-related injuries(sparkler bombs ect.),but mainly as a result of parents giving sparklers to young children. The devices burn at a high temperature (as hot as 1800 to 3000° F, or 1000 to 1600° C), depending on the fuel and oxidizer used. This can cause devastating burns to hands and faces or ignite clothing.
Sparklers, as with all fireworks, present a fire hazard. This is especially true in drier areas; in Australia, for instance, sparkler-related bushfire accidents have led to their banning at public outdoor events during summer like Australia Day celebrations.
Sparklers in art and pop culture
- Free Bariumnitrate (Art group monochrom ignited 10.000 bound sparklers as a "symbolic liberation", because "sparklers are bound to various monotheistic rituals" and stand as representatives "of all symbols that have been enslaved and abused by the monotheistic world religions."
External links
- Sparkler photos This is a tutorial on making photos using sparklers.
