Glow sticks how does it work

We just saw that a light stick is a housing for two chemical solutions, which give off light when they are combined. Before you activate the light stick, the two solutions are kept in separate chambers.

The phenyl oxalate ester and dye solution fills most of the plastic stick itself. The hydrogen peroxide solution, called the activator , is contained in a small, fragile glass vial in the middle of the stick.

When you bend the plastic stick, the glass vial snaps open, and the two solutions flow together. The chemicals immediately react to one another, and the atoms begin emitting light. The particular dye used in the chemical solution gives the light a distinctive color. Depending on which compounds are used, the chemical reaction may go on for a few minutes or for many hours. If you heat the solutions, the extra energy will accelerate the reaction, and the stick will glow brighter, but for a shorter amount of time.

If you cool the light stick, the reaction will slow down, and the light will dim. If you want to preserve your light stick for the next day, put it in the freezer -- it won't stop the process, but it will drag out the reaction considerably. Light sticks are just one application of an important natural phenomenon -- luminescence.

Generally speaking, luminescence is any emission of light that is not caused by heating. Among other things, luminescence is used in televisions , neon lights and glow-in-the-dark stickers.

It's also the principle that lights up a firefly and makes some rocks glow after dark. To find out more about light sticks, luminescence and related topics, check out the links on the next page. Sign up for our Newsletter! Mobile Newsletter banner close. Mobile Newsletter chat close. Mobile Newsletter chat dots. Mobile Newsletter chat avatar.

Mobile Newsletter chat subscribe. Everyday Innovations. How Light Sticks Work. Incandescence - The emission of light due to heat as in an ordinary light bulb or a gas lantern Fluorescence and phosphorescence - The emission of light in response to radiation energy as in a fluorescent light bulb or a television Laser generation - The concentrated emission of light using stimulated emission see How Lasers Work for details.

While most people associate glow sticks with the novelty market, they also have more serious uses. Today, the government market for glow sticks is considerable, says Donald Schmidt, a senior vice president for Cyalume Technologies , a company that grew out of American Cyanamid. Cyalume provides glow sticks that the US military and Department of Defense use for training exercises and field operations, and glow sticks can save lives.

Flotation vests equipped with the devices, for example, can help rescuers find people lost at sea. When there is a danger of flammable fumes, glow sticks can provide illumination without the risk of ignition. Several of those changes relate to safety. For example, the oxalate esters that were used in glow sticks decades ago produced trichlorophenols—chemicals that could go on to form toxic halogenated dioxins.

To eliminate trichlorophenols, Jacob says, Cyalume turned to trichlorsalicylate oxylate esters, which are safer. The firm also now uses butyl benzoate and triethyl citrate as solvents instead of phthalates , some of which have been identified as endocrine disruptors. Most novelty glow sticks still use phthalates, however, she says.

So the next time you snap a glow stick, take a moment to appreciate the cool chemistry that brightens your night. Contact us to opt out anytime. Contact the reporter. Submit a Letter to the Editor for publication. Engage with us on Twitter. The power is now in your nitrile gloved hands Sign up for a free account to increase your articles. Or go unlimited with ACS membership. Chemistry matters. Join us to get the news you need. Don't miss out. Renew your membership, and continue to enjoy these benefits.

Not Now. Grab your lab coat. Let's get started Welcome! It seems this is your first time logging in online. Please enter the following information to continue. As an ACS member you automatically get access to this site. All we need is few more details to create your reading experience. Activation levels of light are the highest in energy and decay exponentially unless specific procedures are undertaken to revise this.

By manipulating concentration, certain chemiluminescent recipes can engender brilliant light in a flash rather than glow. High quantities of sodium salicyate or other bases can have this effect.

How do glow sticks generate different colors, then? The incorporated dye determines photon wavelength, visible as the color of light emitted. As such, glow sticks can be specifically designed to function in hot or cold climates. Heating a glow stick — like adding base substances — will encourage a faster, brighter, briefer light omission. Alternatively, cooling extends the reaction with less extreme glow. An activated glow stick frozen or refrigerated will dim but resume glowing when the temperature rises again.

The cold augments glow longevity. Glow stick dyes also retain their fluorescence under ultraviolet light — even a spent glow stick may brighten when exposed to black light.

While the chemistry and history of glow sticks is extremely interesting to learn about, it is the experiences we have that lead to vivid memories we can share with each other. Gaston, B. Harris, T. How Light Sticks Work , November 1.

Heinecke, L. Nichols, M. Invention From bike decorations to Halloween accessories, glow sticks have wide recreational use, but they were originally patented as a signaling device. Glow Stick Science Glow sticks have a high value when it comes to low-cost entertainment: no batteries or electricity necessary, cheap to produce, portability and high functionality as well as resilience.

References Gaston, B. In her career, she endeavors to apply the qualities of literature to the scientific mode and vice versa, integrating analysis with artistic expression. Tags Megan Hardie.

Leave Feedback. Related Articles. The Science and History of Glow Sticks. It was August when thousands of bicyclers assembled in a city street, the dark evening ignited by Illuminating Your Party Food.