Heat excites electrons
When a metal compound is heated, electrons in the atoms absorb energy and move to higher energy levels.
Flame-test science
Why metal elements create different firework colors
Pyro Lab uses flame-test color names to organize its simulator presets. The simulator is simplified, but the color idea comes from a real chemistry pattern: heated metal compounds emit characteristic colors of light.
How flame colors work
The explanation does not need decoration. It needs a clear chain from heat, to electron movement, to visible color.
Light is released
As those electrons return to lower energy levels, they release energy as light at characteristic wavelengths.
Elements differ
Different elements have different energy gaps, which is why sodium, copper, lithium, barium, and other metals produce different colors.
Element color reference
These presets connect the simulator controls to common flame-test colors. They are used as practical color labels inside the app.
ElementSymbolWavelengthColor note
Lithium
Li670.8 nmLithium produces a deep crimson red flame, one of the most recognizable flame colors.Sodium
Na589.0 nmSodium produces a bright yellow flame, the most common flame test reaction.Potassium
K766.5 nmPotassium produces a lilac/violet flame, best observed through cobalt blue glass.Calcium
Ca622.0 nmCalcium produces a brick-red/orange flame, commonly used in red fireworks.Strontium
Sr460.7 nmStrontium produces a vibrant scarlet red, the primary source of red in fireworks.Barium
Ba553.6 nmBarium produces a yellow-green flame, used in green fireworks.Copper
Cu510.6 nmCopper produces a blue-green flame, copper chloride gives a bright blue.Cesium
Cs455.5 nmCesium produces a blue-violet flame, the heaviest stable alkali metal.Magnesium
Mg518.4 nmMagnesium burns with a brilliant white light, used for flash effects in fireworks.Iron
FeMultipleIron produces golden sparks, used for gold spark effects in fireworks.Try the colors in the simulator
Open the simulator, choose an element preset, then click the sky to see how the selected color changes the virtual fireworks.