The whistling sound of the launch, the bright burst of light, the thundering boom. There's no better symbol of celebration than fireworks. We see elaborate displays at the Olympics, on New Year's Eve, at the Super Bowl and, of course, on the Fourth of July.

It takes a careful combination of pressure, gunpowder and chemicals to create the pyrotechnics we see today, but fireworks actually have been around for centuries.

The Chinese are credited with creating the first fireworks thousands of years ago. They believed the loud sound would help ward off evil spirits, so they used firecrackers - made of a simple form of gunpowder packed into bamboo - at weddings, births and other ceremonies.

Americans have been marking the Fourth of July with fireworks since the nation's birth. When the colonies declared their independence, John Adams called for fireworks to commemorate the event.

But before you sit back in your lawn chair and "ooh" and "ahh" over the next spectacle in the sky, take a minute to understand more about the show. Here are some terms to help you talk like a pro and a list of helpful Web sites.

LEARN THE LINGO
To start off, check out this glossary of fireworks terms. When you watch the display on the night of the Fourth, dazzle your friends by sprinkling a few of these words into your conversation.
 

• Aerial shells: Used for large-scale fireworks displays, these devices are launched from a mortar and burst in the air.
• American shell: A cylindrical shell that produces a random pattern of color.
• Barrages: When several fireworks are fired simultaneously.
• Black powder: Also known as gunpowder, when this material is ignited, it propels a shell hundreds of feet in the air.
• Flash powder: Creates the loud boom of a firework.
• Loading personnel: Workers at fireworks displays who reload mortars.
• Mortar: A tube used to launch aerial shells.
• Oriental shell: A spherical shell that produces a symmetrical chrysanthemum shape.
• Report: The loud sound made when fireworks explode.
• Shooter: Person who ignites the fireworks.
• Spotter: Person who watches the fireworks to check for fallen debris and for "duds" or misfires.
• Stars: Color-producing chemicals that are packed together into small pellets in an aerial shell.

SEE THE SITES

Looking for more information? Visit the following Web sites:
 

• The American Pyrotechnics Association (www.americanpyro.com): The trade association for the fireworks industry offers safety tips and a directory of state laws on fireworks use.
• How Stuff Works' "How Fireworks Work" (www.people.howstuffworks.com/fireworks 5.htm): This resource gives a detailed explanation of the science behind fireworks.
• The National Council on Fireworks Safety (www.fireworksafety.com): Check this site for statistics of fireworks injuries and safety tips and lessons for kids.
• Pyrotechnics Guild International (www.pgi.org): This nonprofit for professional and amateur fireworks enthusiasts includes information on fireworks clubs, manufacturers and distributors and training for fireworks display operators.
• U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's fireworks information (www.cpsc. gov/cpscpub/pubs/july4/4thjuly.html): The commission provides a page on fireworks facts, safety tips and a list of federal and state fireworks regulations.

SOURCES: American Pyrotechnics Association, Fireworkinfo.com, Kodak, The National Council on Fireworks Safety, TeensHealth.org