Chemistry of Fireworks (Rsc Paperbacks)

Has the basics and the chemistry behind it so the understanding could be absorbed better.

Anyone who loves fireworks, makes them or has tried to make them, will love this book. Written by a well respected authority at the University of Maryland who has taught a course in firework chemistry for years, this is a "must own". While it doesharp on some chemistry, it gives a clear picture of how and why fireworks WORK. It is easy to understand, makes fireworkscomprehensible and gives information about how fireworks can be safe when understood and used properly. If you lovefireworks and chemistry you will love this book.

This book has a glossary of terms at the beginning, most of which are ambiguous, some of which are just plain wrong. It seems as if the author tried to "dumb down" the terminology so anyone could understand it. However, in so doing, he's really alienated his target audience, i.e., people with at least some chemistry background. He has major problems with the definitions of explosions and detonation/deflagration. These are definitions that need to be clearly defined, and he screws a lot of it up. He consistently refers to black powder as "gunpowder", which may be a british thing, but it's still annoying and misleading. Some of the equations are helpful, but because of the incorrect information supplied in other parts of the book, I question their validity. This book gives a general overview, and it is decent with pictures and the explainations, but I'd never recommend it to someone who wanted to know the terminology used in the pyro industry, because it's mostly incorrect in this book. This book looks like it was put out in a rush. For example, on p.40, the book describes a "linear" equation, then gives an exponential one; it's just poor editing and writing to get things like that screwed up. An experienced pyrotechnician would know the difference between the screwed up definitions and things, but then, an experienced pyro wouldn't be reading this book. I found Weingart's 'Pyrotechnics' more useful than this. For some more of the physics-related items, this book would be better, but if you want to know some Chemistry, get Shimizu's 'Fireworks'.

Great book full of good information

Nützlich ist es, systematisch auch. Hat aber einige ziemlich krasse Fehler in der mathematischen Behandlung der Themen. Das harmloseste Beispiel: 0ºC = 298 K; richtig wäre 25ºC = 298 K.Also wer es nicht "voll drauf hat": mit Vorsicht zu genissen!

good , delivered well in time. product as described.

There is a great deal of technical knowledge within, some of which has been offered by other books in the past, as one would expect. The layout of the information is very good and the information and instruction very clear to those who already have some knowledge of the subject. If the reader is looking for the secrets of the fabled, industry 'black books' however, he or she will be disappointed. This is not a volume that promises to teach firework making from scratch, so there is little about particle size, sieves and mesh or how and when to add and mix the various chemicals to create the many effects that it touches on. Judged by what it offers, and although a little expensive for its size possibly ( mind you, in this day and age, it probably isn't), the book is definitely worth having on the bookshelf, and one that will be well thumbed in the future by Pyro lovers who wish to do more that just watch a display. Recommended.

High quality books!.