Creating a particle fountain

In computer graphics, a particle system is a group of objects that are used to simulate a variety of "fuzzy" systems such as smoke, liquid spray, fire, explosions, or other similar phenomena. Each particle is considered to be a point object with a position, but no size. Often, they are rendered as point sprites (using the GL_POINTS primitive mode). Each particle has a lifetime: it is born, it animates according to a set of rules, and then it dies. The particle can then be resurrected and goes through the entire process again. Generally, particles do not interact with other particles, or reflect light. The particle is often rendered as a single, textured, camera-facing quad with transparency.

During the lifetime of a particle, it is animated according to a set of rules. These rules often include the basic kinematic equations that define the movement of a particle that is subjected to constant acceleration (such as a gravitational field). In addition, we might take...