Fireworks Science and Spinning Names | Generated by AI
Question: How do fireworks work? During the Chinese Spring Festival, there are small fireworks placed on the ground that spin around. There are a lot more inventions now compared to over 20 years ago when I was a kid. What are their names?
Answer:
How fireworks work
Fireworks operate through combustion and chemical reactions. The main components include:
- Fuel (usually charcoal or sulfur) — provides energy.
- Oxidizer (most commonly potassium nitrate / saltpeter) — supplies oxygen for fast burning.
- Color-producing chemicals (metal salts) — e.g., strontium for red, barium for green, copper for blue/green, sodium for yellow.
- Binder (like dextrin or starch) — holds the mixture together.
- Regulators (to control burn rate) and sometimes whistle or flash components.
When the fuse is lit, it ignites the black powder or similar composition inside. The rapid burning produces hot gases that create pressure, leading to:
- Explosion (for aerial shells or crackers),
- Propulsion (rockets),
- Or controlled burning (for fountains, spinners).
For spinning ground fireworks, the device has angled nozzles or vents. When ignited, the escaping hot gases create thrust in opposite directions (like a rocket engine or Catherine wheel principle), causing rapid rotation. Sparks shoot out from the sides, often with crackling or whistling effects from added compounds.
The small spinning ground fireworks during Chinese Spring Festival
These are very popular, especially among kids, during Chinese New Year (春节). They are placed (or thrown) on the ground, lit, and then spin rapidly while spraying colorful sparks, often making buzzing or crackling sounds.
Common names include:
- In English: Ground spinners (most common term), ground spinner fireworks, or sometimes “whirlers”.
- In Chinese: 地面旋转烟花 (地面旋转烟花), or more casually 地上转圈的烟花, 地老鼠 (in historical / some regional contexts, though “地老鼠” originally referred to a type that runs around on the ground), 金钱满地, 地出溜, or product names like 莲花开, 春天的蝴蝶, UFO, 涡轮增压地面旋转.
Many modern versions have fancy product names like “Spring Butterflies”, “Triangular Chrysanthemum”, “UFO Ground Spinner”, or creative ones like “劳斯莱斯幻影” (Rolls-Royce Phantom) for powerful spinning ones.
Why there are many more varieties now compared to 20+ years ago (around 2000 or earlier)
Fireworks technology and market have advanced significantly:
- Better chemical formulations for brighter, longer-lasting colors and effects.
- Safer designs (less explosive power for consumer ground items).
- Mass production in places like Liuyang (Hunan, China’s fireworks capital).
- Influence from export markets and online sales, leading to creative shapes and names.
- While safety regulations and bans exist in many cities, consumer-grade small ground spinners remain popular and have diversified a lot.
Kids today see far more inventive designs (shaped like animals, cars, or with themed effects) than the simpler spinning ones common in the early 2000s or before.
References:
- Ground spinners crackle and spin in lively fireworks display in Hunan, China
- Chinese Fireworks history and types
- Various Chinese sources on Douyin / TikTok style names for 地面旋转烟花 (e.g., 金钱满地, 地出溜)