A gerb is a type of firework which produces a jet of sparks

Ember

Embers are the glowing, hot coals made of greatly heated wood, coal, or other carbon-based material that remain after, or sometimes precede a fire. Embers can glow very hot, sometimes as hot as the fire which created them...

, usually lasting between 15 and 60 seconds. It is a thick-walled tube filled with pyrotechnic composition and possessing a choke, which is a narrowing in the tube. Gerbs are often referred to as 'fountains'.

Sometimes a small charge of black powder is added to the bottom of a gerb to make it finish with a bang: this charge is known as the 'bounce'. These are commonly used at sporting events.

Gerbs intended for use indoors near a proximate audience, such as at a rock concert, typically have shorter durations (from 1/8 to 30 seconds) and heights (4 to 50 feet).

Gerbs are usually measured in terms of time and height. For example a 4x4 burns for 4 seconds at a height of 4 feet.

External links

• Fountain article at PyroGuide wiki