Strontium nitrate

Strontium nitrate is the inorganic salt Sr(NO₃)₂, a water-soluble oxidizer used in pyrotechnics to produce red light.

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Nitrate: Nitrate is the polyatomic ion NO₃⁻ and the name of salts containing it. The nitrate ions in strontium nitrate provide oxidizing power during combustion.
Red fireworks: Red fireworks are pyrotechnic displays that use strontium compounds to produce red light. Strontium nitrate is a common colorant and oxidizer in red pyrotechnic compositions.
Strontium compounds: Strontium compounds are chemical substances containing strontium bonded to other elements or groups. Strontium nitrate is one member of this family, whose compounds often create red pyrotechnic light.
Potassium nitrate: Potassium nitrate is the inorganic salt KNO₃, used in fertilizers, food preservation, and pyrotechnic compositions. It is a common nitrate oxidizer, but potassium emissions do not provide strontium’s characteristic red.
Oxidizer safety: Oxidizer safety concerns preventing oxidizing substances from intensifying fires or reacting dangerously with incompatible materials. Strontium nitrate can accelerate combustion, so it must be kept away from fuels and other incompatible substances.
Strontium: Strontium is a soft, silvery alkaline-earth metal with atomic number 38. Strontium compounds produce the red emission associated with this salt.
Road flare: A road flare is a portable pyrotechnic signal used to warn or guide traffic. Some flare formulations use strontium salts to produce a conspicuous red signal.
Ionic compound: An ionic compound consists of positively and negatively charged ions held together by electrostatic attraction. Strontium nitrate contains Sr²⁺ cations and NO₃⁻ anions in an ionic lattice.
Barium nitrate: Barium nitrate is the inorganic salt Ba(NO₃)₂, used as an oxidizer and to produce green pyrotechnic color. It shares nitrate-based oxidizing behavior but produces green rather than red pyrotechnic light.
Fire hazard: A fire hazard is a condition or material that increases the likelihood or severity of a fire. As an oxidizer, strontium nitrate can make nearby combustible materials burn more intensely.