Heat excites electrons
When a metal compound is heated, electrons in the atoms absorb energy and move to higher energy levels.
Firework color science
Why metals and firework materials create different colors
Pyro Lab uses flame-test colors and firework material references to organize its simulator presets. Some presets come from classic flame-test reactions, while others represent spark materials such as magnesium, iron, aluminum, titanium, zinc, and boron-inspired firework effects.
Interactive flame-color lab
Compare elements on the visible spectrum
This visualization uses the app’s educational reference values. It compares emitted color and brightness; it is not a real pyrotechnic recipe or laboratory procedure.
Primary
Sodium
Wavelength
589.0 nm
Brightness
95%
Virtual blend
78.4 nm apart
Visible spectrum position
NaCu
380 nm · violet565 nm750 nm · red
What changes?
Sodium and Copper are 78.4 nm apart in this reference set. Their average brightness is 88%. The mixed preview is a screen-color comparison, not a prediction of chemical behavior.
Sortable reference
How firework colors work
The simplified version starts with heat, electron movement, and visible color. Real fireworks add more variables: oxidizers, binders, chlorine donors, burning temperature, and spark-producing metals.
Light is released
As those electrons return to lower energy levels, they release energy as light at characteristic wavelengths.
Elements differ
Different elements and compounds emit different colors, which is why sodium, copper, lithium, barium, boron, and other materials can suggest different firework colors.
Color preset reference
These presets connect the simulator controls to common flame-test colors and firework material effects. They are practical color labels for the app, not instructions for making real fireworks.
PresetSymbolTypeWaveColor note
Lithium
LiFlame test670.8 nmLithium produces a deep crimson red flame, one of the most recognizable flame colors.Sodium
NaFlame test589.0 nmSodium produces a bright yellow flame, the most common flame test reaction.Potassium
KFlame test766.5 nmPotassium produces a lilac/violet flame, best observed through cobalt blue glass.Calcium
CaFlame test622.0 nmCalcium produces a brick-red/orange flame, commonly used in red fireworks.Strontium
SrFlame test460.7 nmStrontium produces a vibrant scarlet red, the primary source of red in fireworks.Barium
BaFlame test553.6 nmBarium produces a yellow-green flame, used in green fireworks.Copper
CuFlame test510.6 nmCopper produces a blue-green flame, copper chloride gives a bright blue.Cesium
CsFlame test455.5 nmCesium produces a blue-violet flame, the heaviest stable alkali metal.Magnesium
MgFirework material518.4 nmMagnesium burns with a brilliant white light, used for flash effects in fireworks.Iron
FeFirework materialMultipleIron produces golden sparks, used for gold spark effects in fireworks.Aluminum
AlFirework materialBroad spectrumAluminum creates bright silver-white sparks, useful for glitter and flash-style firework effects.Titanium
TiFirework materialBroad spectrumTitanium creates long white-gold sparks, often associated with crackling and sparkling trails.Zinc
ZnFirework materialBroad spectrumZinc can suggest a cool blue-white firework effect in a simplified browser color preset.Boron
BFirework materialBroad molecular emissionBoron compounds are associated with green firework chemistry, represented here as emerald green.Rubidium
RbFlame test780.0 nmRubidium produces a red-violet flame, adding a richer purple-red option to the simulator palette.Try the colors in the simulator
Open the simulator, choose a color preset, then click the sky to see how the selected flame-test or firework material reference changes the virtual fireworks.