Americans celebrate the 4th of July in all sorts of ways. Across the country, people host beach picnics, boat parades, crawfish boils, hot dog eating contests, and more. But no matter the state, two classic 4th of July activities are always common: fireworks shows and barbecues.
Read on to learn about some of the science behind fireworks and how you can use Spreadsheet.com to help plan your Independence Day BBQ.
4th of July fireworks are so common that they date all the way back to the first celebration of the holiday on July 4, 1777, in Philadelphia and Boston. Today, you’ll find fireworks shows in almost every city in the country – maybe even as close as your neighbor’s backyard.
While fireworks lighting up the night sky might look like magic, they’re actually the result of different chemical reactions and a careful arrangement of explosive shells. If you spot a red star exploding above your head, that’s a pattern shell made up of Strontium. Or maybe you’ll spot a lot of blue sparks falling down slowly in an umbrella pattern; that’s a brocade packed with Copper. You might even see a bunch of small silver trails “swimming” away from the first burst – appropriately, that’s a fish made of a mixture of Titanium, Zirconium, and Magnesium.
There are over 20 different types of fireworks patterns and eight different minerals that give them their striking colors.
Are you one of the 74 million Americans planning on barbecuing this Independence Day? Whether you’re grilling hot dogs, mixing up a potato salad, or just putting together a veggie platter for your guests, Spreadsheet.com can help you plan your 4th of July party. With the Backyard Barbecue Planner workbook, you can easily manage every part of your gathering.
Use the Attendees Sign Up worksheet and its built in Form view to collect RSVPs from your guests. If you’re hosting a potluck, guests can list what dish they’re bringing. Or, if you’re planning on doing the cooking, you can collect recipes on the Dishes worksheet.
Keep your party on track with the Activities worksheet, where you can list start and end times for everything from games to grilling. Switch to the worksheet’s Calendar view to see an interactive calendar of your schedule.
Track expenses on the Budget sheet to keep the cost of your barbecue to a minimum. Explore Spreadsheet.com features like Kanban views and row grouping to break down your budget items by category and see where you need to cut costs – or where you have room to splurge.
