Lightsticks contain dilute hydrogen peroxide in a phthalic ester solvent enclosed in a glass vial, which is surrounded by a solution containing phenyl oxalate ester and a fluorescent dye. When the lightstick is "snapped" and the vial is broken, the two solutions react to produce an intermediate that transfers energy to a dye molecule. Visible light is emitted when the excited dye molecule returns to the ground state. Additional details on chemiluminescence and the reaction can be found in this issue of theJournal and other sources.
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