Smoke bomb
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[[Image:Savumassa.jpg|thumb|250px|Home made smoke powder burning]]
A '''smoke bomb''' is a [[firework]] designed to produce [[smoke]] upon ignition. While there are smoke-generating devices that are dropped from airplanes, the term "smoke bomb" is used to describe the three types of devices:
# A '''smoke ball''' is a hollow, cherry-sized sphere of brightly colored clay filled with a smoke-generating composition that produces a forceful jet of colored smoke for 10 to 15 seconds.
# A '''smoke candle''' (also called a smoke generator or smoke canister) is a cylindrical cardboard tube with a fuse, usually 1½ [[inch]]es (37 [[millimetre|mm]]) in diameter and several inches long and resembling a giant [[firecracker]]. Such a device creates a thick cloud of smoke for up to several minutes. Uses include providing smoke for [[smoke test]]ing and creating a [[smoke-screen]] for [[paintball]] and [[airsoft]] games.
# A '''smoke canister''' (or [[smoke grenade]]) is a metal can that releases smoke when a pin is pulled. Used for signalling by military personnel.
[[Colored smoke]] devices use a formula that consists of an [[oxidizer]] (typically [[potassium chlorate]], KClO<sub>3</sub>), a fuel (generally sugar), a moderant (such as [[sodium bicarbonate]]) to keep the reaction from getting too hot, and a powdered organic [[dye]]. The burning of this mixture evaporates the dye and forces it out of the device, where it condenses in the atmosphere to form a "smoke" of finely dispersed particles.
A simple smoke powder can be made by gently mixing saltpeter ([[potassium nitrate]], KNO<sub>3</sub>) and sugar in roughly a ratio of 60% saltpeter to 40% sugar; add more sugar for a slower burn and more KNO3 for a faster burn. The more finely ground the saltpeter and sucrose, the better the smoke bomb. The mixture can be used as a loose powder or consolidated by adding enough water to make a thick paste, making a small lump of about a tablespoon in size, and letting it dry overnight. This is much safer than heating such a mixture, which has resulted in too many cases of accidental ignition. {{cite news |title=Smoke Bomb gone awry |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A07E4DB1731F934A25750C0A9659C8B63&n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/People/M/Medina,%20Jennifer |publisher=New York Times }}
This formula has a variant in which the ingredients are left in powder form and the granulated sugar is replaced with [[powdered sugar]].
More success could potentially be enjoyed when one adds another [[flammable|flammable substance]] to the mixture without "cooking" it. The best choice for this is melted [[paraffin]]. [http://www.pyrosummit.com/lsmoke.html]
Devices or cartridges containing only the dye are used with an external heat source in a [[smoke machine]].
In the military, smoke bombs are a means for creating [[smoke-screen]]s.
Smoke bombs are often sold as consumer [[firework]]s, but smoke [[grenade]]s (with pins rather than external fuses) are not considered fireworks and are usually not sold at fireworks shops. The military-style smoke grenades also cost much more than smoke bomb fireworks. Military-style smoke grenades often cost for around $40 USD, while smoke bombs often cost a few cents.
==External links==
*[http://www.wikipyro.com/Saltpeter_And_Sugar_Smoke_Bomb Smoke bomb information & Guides]
*[http://www.pyroguide.com/index.php?title=Smoke_mix A pyroguide on pyrotechics] has more information on smoke bombs.
*[http://www.pyrosummit.com/phpbb3/index.php Fireworks explained]—Pyrosummit Forums
*[http://www.pyrosummit.com/lsmoke.html Birthplace of the "Legendary Smokebomb"] - Complete guide on its manufacture. (Though it has the same ingredients as another well known mixture, the ratio of ingredients and process to make it are what make it different)
[[Category:Fireworks]]
[[Category:pyrotechnics]]
[[Category:Smoke]]
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