I've learned on this site that fireworks create their own oxidizers so it should be possible to have an underwater fireworks display, (Preferably in a large indoor pool so as not to kill fish with the concussion). I can't figure out if the heat from the ejecta would make the individual sparks to rise back toward the surface or if the gas released from each would cause them to sink.Either way I think the effects would be spectacular when viewed from above through the rising bubbles.-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Feb 19 2005 Lighting it would be a problem.-- DesertFox, Feb 19 2005 We used to do this at night, with bottle rockets. You’d hold them by the stick and throw them into the water just before the fuse burned down. They’d shoot down a couple of feet and explode, making a dull thump and a brilliant flash.-- ldischler, Feb 19 2005 Cool. So did the sparks rise or sink?-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Feb 19 2005 [jaksplat] notice he stated "preferably in a large indoor pool so as not to kill fish with the concussion".-- 5th Earth, Feb 19 2005 didn't notice, sorry.-- jaksplat, Feb 19 2005 I've played with bottle rockets and water too. There are no sparks, just a small orange sphere where the rocket was formerly intact, accompanied by a flash that would illuminate a large portion of the lake. What was really neat was the trail of bubbles it left as it fired downward. A few seconds after the explosion, sulfurous bubbles rose to the surface.
As for lighting it, many fireworks have waterproof fuses made with magnesium and oxidizers. It can actually burn underwater. A similar substance could be used to light it.-- Aq_Bi, Feb 19 2005 Would the pool crack, or just splash a lot? The splash could be part of the show.-- robinism, Feb 20 2005 Define "sparks" please. The water would quickly put out anything I'd call a spark--a little piece of burning material. The subcomponents of each firework, the projectiles that are shot out to make patterns, wouldn't travel near as far as in air, and may require air for combustion, depending on what they are made of.
Gas released from a neutrally-bouyant burning ejecta/spark would rise toward the surface and entrain a flow of water, which would tend to lift the ejecta/spark. Otherwise, whatever they are, they wouldn't sink until they had quit giving off gas and filled with water, if they are hollow. Sorry, [2 fries], I just don't know what you mean by sparks.
Here's a good trick for bottle rockets. Fill a two-liter plastic pop bottle with water, light a bottle rocket and stuff it headfirst down through the neck of the bottle. (Some types of fuses will keep burning underwater. Look for the braided outer layer.) It shoots up bubbles, then goes off with a thump and a flash. The bottle will leap off the ground and shoot water into the air. It's a good game for the back yard, as you can stand right next to it, and the noise won't bother the neighbors. The relevance of this trick to this discussion is that the water gets really dirty, really fast. I'd love to see some major fireworks underwater, but the show would have to be short, or in a flowing river. Fire off a few warning shots to scare off the fish, or gather them up afterwards and have a fish fry.
[robinism] I *tried* to demolish a pool once. Fireworks wouldn't have put a dent in it.
I'd say that with a proper choice of fireworks, you'd have a great performance. I'd give a croissant to see it.-- baconbrain, Feb 20 2005 Magnesium, eh? +-- DesertFox, Feb 20 2005 I spearfish. If this were practical / legal, I'd be experimenting with it. Not legal outside of a pool, regretably, and rough on divers. There have been some gunpowder powered spearguns. Not worth the trouble.
Sorry, despite any other value, not useful to me in feeding friends and family.....OK, neutral vote because that's not your problem.-- normzone, Feb 20 2005 How about explosive spear gun bolt tips? Close only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades, and spear fishing.
[baconbrain] sparks is as sparks does.-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Feb 20 2005 random, halfbakery