What makes flames change color

This reaction also makes carbon dioxide and water. Wax Is Not Enough. You also need oxygen. If you cover a flame with a glass cup or jar, the flame uses up the oxygen and goes out.

One Hot Reaction! Why does blowing on a flame make it go out? Search form Search. Melt old candle wax in a double boiler. Get a bunch of small paper Dixie cups.

Pour just enough melted wax into the cup to cover the chemical, and quickly stir it with an unfolded paperclip or other small stir rod.

This is to thoroughly coat all of the chemical. Allow the mixture to thoroughly cool and then peel or cut off the sides of the paper cup. We leave the paper bottom on. Featured Video. Cite this Article Format. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph. How To Make Green Flames. Where to Buy Copper Sulfate Pentahydrate. How to Make Copper Acetate from Copper. Copper Facts: Chemical and Physical Properties. Common Chemicals and Where to Find Them.

Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for ThoughtCo. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article methods. Tips and Warnings. Things You'll Need. Related Articles. Article Summary. Method 1.

Decide what color s you want the fire to be. While you can change the flames' color to a variety of shades, it's important to identify which you are most interested in so you know the right chemicals to use. You can change the fire's color to blue, turquoise, red, pink, green, orange, purple, yellow, or white. Identify the proper chemicals based on the color they produce. To color the flames in your desired shade s , you must choose the appropriate chemical s.

You should use them in powdered form, and don't substitute chlorates, nitrates, or permanganates, which produce harmful byproducts when they're burned. To create turquoise flames, use copper sulfate. To create red flames, use strontium chloride To create pink flames, use lithium chloride.

To create light green flames, use borax. To create green flames, use alum. To create orange flames, use sodium chloride. To create purple flames, use potassium chloride.

To create yellow flames, use sodium carbonate. To create white flames, use magnesium sulfate. Purchase the chemicals you need. Some of the fire-coloring chemicals are common ingredients in household products, so you can find them in grocery, hardware, or garden supply stores.

You can buy other chemicals at chemical supply stores, fireplace shops, fireworks suppliers, or from online stores. Sodium chloride is table salt, so you can purchase it at any grocery store. Potassium chloride is used as a water softener salt, so you can purchase it at many hardware stores. Borax is often used to wash clothing, so you can find it in the laundry section of most grocery stores. Magnesium sulfate is found in epsom salts, so you can purchase it at most drugstores and pharmacies.

Copper chloride, calcium chloride, strontium chloride, lithium chloride, sodium carbonate, and alum must be purchased from chemical supply stores, fireplace shops, fireworks suppliers, or online retailers. Method 2. Build a campfire. Sprinkling the chemicals directly on the fire typically works best on campfires. Allow your fire to burn until there is a bed of red embers beneath it and the flames have died down a bit.

Sprinkle a small amount of the chemical on the embers. Start with just a pinch to test the chemical and ensure that no adverse reactions occur. Be sure to stand back a bit as you add the powder to the fire to protect yourself. This will decrease the chance of a large and dangerous flare-up. Wear safety glasses and fire-resistant gloves when you add the chemicals to the fire. The smoke produced by many of these chemicals can be a serious irritant, especially for people with breathing problems.

Wear a protective breathing mask while adding chemicals to the fire, and be mindful of which way the smoke is going. Continue adding the chemicals until the color changes. The first sprinkle of the chemical will likely not change the flames' color, so you should keep adding more until you notice a change. In many cases, it can take up to a minute for the color change to be visible.