Explosive experts Dr. Jacqueline Akhaven, senior lecturer at Cranfield University, and Research Officer Dr. Alex Contini explain the explosive chemical and physcial reactions behind the spectacular fireworks we all love to watch. They do this through a series of controlled explosions in the Military Research Laboratories of the Ministry of Defence. You won't see any of these demonstrations in any classroom because they're much too dangerous. Jacquie and Alex begin with gunpowder, the basis of all fireworks, and explain how it reacts. They also demonstrate why many modern stage and TV effects use flash powder instead of gunpowder as it is more efficient. They change the colour of a firework by adding a metal salt and heighten its effect by adding a whistle and a scream. Finally, they open up a rocket to identify and predict what an identical rocket might do when ignited. And they're spot on - the rocket behaves exactly as planned. Beware, this can't be done outside the lab.

Video Series: KS3/4 Science
Release Date 2007