Why do things glow in the dark

Wonderopolis Jan 7, Team Wilch Dec 13, Dear wonderopolis, I loved learning about how glow sticks glow in the dark! I loved the facts about how These substances are called phosphors. What do strontium aluminate, chemiluminescence, radioluminscence and bioluminescence mean? Sincerely, Anna. Wonderopolis Dec 13, Hart Dec 12, Wonderopolis Dec 12, You can click on the video itself, Kate! Oh my gosh!!!!!! This is an awesome website.

I can find a lot of interesting facts about almost everything. Thank you to whoever created this website. Wonderopolis Dec 10, Atianna Hart Dec 10, I thought this was pretty cool. I never knew this before. We have to write a paragraph in school for homework on here. Bishara Dec 7, Wonderopolis Dec 7, Thanks so much, Bishara! Angela Chick Dec 7, Hello Wonderopolis! My friend Jess who made the film shared this link with me - glad you guys liked it!

Jessica, UK Dec 7, Thanks for posting my video! I was intrigued as to why my views shot up by hundreds all of a sudden and then I found your site! Your website is a lovely place for resources, we will definitely be back to check out the Wonders of the Day! Glowsticks are awesome! John MC Dec 6, I never knew there was another word for glow-in-the-dark like luminescence. I learned that phosphors radiate visible light after being energized. I might use these new vocabulary words in a science experiment.

Why do glow-in-the-dark toys sometimes only glow for a short time? What wears down? Quincy, Krystal and Cameron Dec 6, I was wondering, HA HA if you could make a wonder on monster high!?

Wonderopolis Dec 6, Noah Dec 5, Wonderopolis Dec 5, This is a really cool wonder the kids in my class love it. Noah Dec 3, What is the stuff called inside the glow stick? Wonderopolis Dec 3, I know a trick to keeping it glowing for a very very long time you stick it in the freezer my friend told me this and it works I've tried it. Wonderopolis Nov 30, Cool, Emily! Thanks for sharing your awesome trick! Naya Battle Nov 28, Yes we're okay we washed it all off as soon as we came back from bible school.

But we're obviously still alive today. And our science experiment was successful! Wonderopolis Nov 29, Phew, we're glad to hear it, Naya B!

Isaac Nov 28, If you break one open and it spills everywhere will it still glow? Elizebath Nov 28, I loved this article, I used it for my homework assignment like Megan did too! My class does wonderopolis every Wednesday. I love wonderopolis!!! Wonder Friend H Nov 28, Megan Nov 28, I liked this article, I used it for my homework assignment. I love Wonderopolis. Wonderopolis Nov 28, We're so glad that Wonderopolis helped with your homework!

Naya B Nov 28, Me and my friend cracked some glow sticks in half then we rubbed them on ourselves and turned off the lights and we started to glow!

Faith Nov 28, This was so cool! I have always wondered how things glowed but I never had the time to look it up! Thanks for sharing!

Also, thanks for making wonderopolis possible. I am home schooled and this is always my favorite part of the day! Mastrullo's Class Nov 28, Audrey was amazed to learn that animals have chemicals in their bodies. Ben wants to know if it is true that glow sticks have glass inside of it that breaks and two chemicals combine to make it glow? Hunza Nov 27, Hi I love today's wonder!!!

I love glow sticks,there one of the most fun things to play with. I loved the video!!! Aaron Nov 27, Very much love to you guys I love this website. Jolene Nov 27, Hi Wonderopolis, we love your network and video. Jordynn Nov 27, This is so cool! I wish you guys could make cups glow in the dark! Jona Nov 27, How do things glow in the dark and how do they work?

Danielle Nov 27, I love glow in the dark things! Sincerely Danielle :. So do we, Danielle! We're glad today's Wonder made you light up inside! What is a good summary question for this article on glow in the dark? We Wonder if you can come up with a summary question, Branden!

We know you can do it! We Wonder what your favorite part of today's Wonder was, Angie? Mark Nov 27, I have always wondered how stuff glows in the dark. I just got this glow bracelet at school and I was wondering why it was not glowing yet.

My teacher says it needs to get light in order for it to glow. Wonderopolis I have been waiting over a week and I still didn't get a reply!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey wonderopolis thanks for all of the great info on glow sticks. I also have two questions; the first one is how long can a glow in the dark toy stay active?

And the second one is do jellyfish have all of the stuff glow sticks have because some types of jellyfish can glow in the dark right? Well thanks again and I can't wait for the next wonderopolis bye : : :! You guys are the best I'm coming here for wonders will you do some thing about parasites because in school I'm writing about parasites for a feature article. Kabir Nov 27, Hi my name is Kabir I wonder who were the first people who climbed the mountain for tomorrow's wonder.

Also I have a question do you guys choose the videos or is it automatic? Devin Nov 27, Juliana T Nov 27, I have white shoes that glow in the dark and I wear my white shoes when I play laser tag. WOW, how cool, Juliana T! That's a great idea-- the white is extra bright in the dark! Armaan D Nov 27, How cool, Armaan D! We bet it's a very cool shirt! Aidan Nov 27, Hi guys hope you remember me from last year I love today's wonder I never learned that but now how they work it was a mystery so sometimes I check wonderopolis this is what I did not know There are a couple of other types of luminescence.

Chemiluminescence, for example, makes object glow in the dark because of a chemical reaction. When two particular chemicals react, they produce energy that is subsequently released, creating a glow. This is what happens in glow sticks. I think tomorrow's wonder will be about Mount Everest.

Vickie Nov 27, Hi Wonderopolis!!! I like the video of all the glow-in-the-dark things! The clue for tomorrow sounds exciting! I think that tomorrow's wonder of the day is about "the first person in the world to climb a mountain and now he is a professional climber and could climb any mountain!! I wonder if my wonder will be right? Thanks for making this wonder, I like it!

Suhail Nov 27, When did you guys create this site it's pretty cool. PS: You guys rule. PPS: reply back please. Mushkale Nov 27, Oh and I think tomorrow's wonder of the will be about Mount Everest or the first people who climbed Mount Everest.

Kultar Nov 27, Gurtej Nov 27, Sorry I think tomorrow's wonder of the day will be about the first two people who climbed Mount Everest. Thanks for sharing your idea for tomorrow, too, Gurtej! Hi guys. I never knew it was simple science. I'm not afraid of the dark so now I need a flashlight. From Gurtej. Hey Wonderopolis. I found today's wonder of the colorful.

And Michaela read this: Glowing in the dark — also known as luminescence — simply requires chemicals that store energy when exposed to light. These special substances are called phosphors. This type of glowing is sometimes called phosphorescence. Phosphors radiate visible light after being energized. This means you have to expose the items to light for a while before they will glow in the dark.

Phosphors then slowly release their stored energy over time. As they release the energy, they emit small amounts of light, which we see as an object glowing. I think tomorrow's wonder of the will be about hikers or mountian climbers. Grace W Nov 27, I loved the wonder today it was awesome. I can't wait for tomorrow's wonder. What are they doing in this video? With so many cool items that glow, from stars on your ceiling to glow sticks at a concert , you might be surprised to know that there's some real science behind it.

Each item you own that glows uses a special process that helps to create its awesome glowing effect. You've probably had some fun with glow sticks at Halloween or worn a wristband during an event that helped to light up the night. This amazing glow is due to a scientific process called luminescence. Even some animals have these properties and glow in the dark. Luminescence is what causes items to glow brightly when it's dark. Unlike charcoal, wood, or paper, which can all give off light when they burn hot, things that use luminescence emit light without needing heat.

When you have something like a toy that glows in the dark, it can glow because it contains materials called phosphors. Phosphors can radiate light after they have gotten energy from the sun or another source of bright light. The phosphors soak up the energy from the light, and then they radiate this energy as light. You need to be in nearly complete darkness to notice it. All glow-in-the-dark products contain phosphors.

A phosphor is a substance that radiates visible light after being energized. The two places where we most commonly see phosphors are in a TV screen or computer monitor and in fluorescent lights. In a TV screen, an electron beam strikes the phosphor to energize it see How Television Works for details. In a fluorescent light, ultraviolet light energizes the phosphor.

In both cases, what we see is visible light. A color TV screen actually contains thousands of tiny phosphor picture elements that emit three different colors red, green and blue. In the case of a fluorescent light, there is normally a mixture of phosphors that together create light that looks white to us. Chemists have created thousands of chemical substances that behave like a phosphor.

JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website. Glow in the dark is a much loved phenomenon that engages kids and adults alike and adds that little extra magic to toys and room decorations think glow in the dark stars , but just what is glow in the dark, and how does it work?

Glow in the dark or photoluminescent materials carry inorganic phosphors that absorb light in the visible and ultra violet wavelengths and then re-emit visible light, or a "glow". Most glow in the dark pigments and materials use the phosphors zinc sulphide or the newer strontium aluminate which produces a brighter glow over a longer period of time. Strontium aluminate has a much longer persistence glow time than zinc sulphide and so higher quality glow products will use this phosphor over the latter.

Glow in the dark luminance fades after time. Typically, the light released will be brighter immediately after charge and for the first half hour as the atoms are excited and will begin to fade gently as the atoms calm down.

Glow in the dark product using zinc sulphide will glow for up to half an hour, whereas products using strontium aluminate will glow for up to a whopping twelve hours! Remember, the phosphors need to absorb light to re-emit light and some light is better absorbed than others. Ultra violet light works best and charges in the fastest time. How adapted your eyes are to the dark will affect the brightness of the glow that your eyes perceive.

The more adapted to the dark your eyes are, the brighter the glow that you will see. In fact the glow will appear to be brightening the more adapted your eyes become! Ambient light affects the perceived glow of photoluminescent materials as the light draws your eyes and detracts them from the darkness. Glow in the dark products are best viewed in total darkness as the eyes are allowed to adapt, perceiving a much brighter glow. Ever wondered why glow in the dark stuff is green?