This Activity explores some of the fundamental properties of light that is spontaneously emitted from common everyday substances such as glow-in-the-dark stickers, wintergreen-flavored hard candies, and a chlorophyll solution made from spinach leaves. Students are led to explore the different properties of fluorescence, phosphorescence, and triboluminescence. Teachers are provided with a background in the molecular properties that give rise to these different luminescent phenomena, which derive from the fundamental interaction of light and matter.
Supplement
Placing a U.S. twenty dollar bill under a UV blacklight reveals a fluorescent strip with lettering.
Multiple consumer items, including wintergreen-flavored hard candies, tonic water, chlorophyll from spinach, and "Glow Space Stuff" toy items, have luminescent properties.
A tennis shoe is shown in a room lit with incandescent light (left), in a room lit with incandescent light with a hand-held UV blacklight shining on the shoe (center), and in a darkened room with a hand-held UV blacklight shining on the shoe (right).
A chlorophyll solution made from chopped spinach leaves and 70% isopropyl alcohol appears green under incandescent light (left), but red under a UV blacklight (right).
A table of typical observations is also available.
The "Chemistry Teacher Connection" (CTC) is especially for high school chemistry teachers. For only $40/year, it offers an online-only subscription to CLIC along with membership in the Division of Chemical Education, normally $65/year. CTC subscribers receive access to all articles and supplements from 1996 through the current issue.
Through special arrangement with the ACS, JCE High School CLIC is now able to provide subscribers with online access to Chemical & Engineering News articles that have been selected specifically for secondary science instructors and their students.
Occasionally, collections of JCE back issues become available for donation to individual teachers, schools, or libraries. JCE matches collections with interested recipients. Recipients pay shipping costs or pick up the collection.
For journals in other fields of chemistry visit ACS Publications.
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