Luminous Effects
For Student Groups
In fact, it is just a special form of energy conversion: the cold chemical glow, the luminescence. However, there is much more to it: you find it in surprising places in your life and in nature, it is fascinating and useful, has different manifestations and causes. In this course, we take a detailed look at it!
- Age
- 16 to 20 years
- Duration
- 0.5 days
- Maximum number of participants
- 20
Experiments
- Fluorescence: Cold glow under UV excitation (everyday and environmental substances)
- Synthesis and fluorescence of fluorescein
- Phosphorescence
- Chemiluminescence of luminol
Sometimes it looks a bit creepy, the cold chemical glow. However, on top of simple fascination, this course wants to ‘bring light into the dark’: What causes the emission of energy in form of visible light? How is it stimulated (primary energy), which processes are taking place (electron transitions, upper-level course!) and which manifestations (fluorescence, phosphorescence, chemoluminescence) can be distinguished? The students look at examples from everyday life, synthesize fluorescent and phosphorescent substances and investigate the pH and temperature dependence of the luminescence. Finally, the ‘firefly experiment’ is carried out: two substances react exergonically and emit light instead of heat.