Glow sticks are magical luminescent tubes that affect everyday lives in many positive ways! Now, of course they are not actually magical; glow sticks are the result of a chemical reaction. Believe it or not, they are an important key in many different aspects of everyday life. These sticks are sometimes relied upon for police use, military use, and fire department use. Police officers use them to guide traffic, deep sea divers use them to tell distance, and kids use them to have fun! Glow sticks are also great visibility tools. It’s easy to incorporate a glow stick into a child’s outfit so they can be easily seen by traffic, and so parents can easily spot them in a crowd. Glow sticks have evolved to form an infinite amount of uses. Many scientists
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In most glow sticks, one solution contains a diphenyl oxalate compound. Also in that solution is a dye whose identity varies on the desired color. The second solution is hydrogen peroxide and is contained inside an inner glass cylinder. The cylinder keeps the two solutions separate, therefor keeping the reaction from occurring. When the glow stick is snapped, the cylinder breaks, allowing the two solutions to mix. When the solutions mix, it kick starts the reaction which then leads to the glow. As a precaution, glow stick packaging usually states that the sticks should not be cut open. This is because skin contact with the solutions can cause irritation and dermatitis (“The Chemistry of Glow Sticks”, …show more content…
The diphenyl oxalat4e is oxidized by the hydrogen peroxide, which produces the unstable compound dioxetanedione. This compound is so unstable that it readily decomposes into carbon dioxide, also releasing energy as it does so. Although uninvolved in the reaction, the electrons in the molecules of the dye can absorb the energy given off by the dioxetanedione as it decomposes, and because of that they are promoted to an excited state. When the electrons come back down to their ground state, they then lose their excess energy by the form of photons of light. This process is known as chemiluminescence, which is the emission of light. There may also be a limited emission of heat (“Chemistry 101”, 2017). While the molecules in the dye are always present, the hydrogen peroxide and diphenyl oxalate are slowly used up in the reaction until one finally runs out. It is at that point the glow stick stops emitting a glow. Like many chemical reactions, glow sticks are influenced by temperature. Warm temperatures will speed up the reaction, while cool temperatures will slow it down. Less light will be produced while the glow stick is cold, but it will last longer. However, if the stick is immersed in hot water, it will glow much brighter but will not last very long (“The Chemistry of Glow Sticks”, 2014). This is why you’re supposed to stick them in the
In most glow sticks, one solution contains a diphenyl oxalate compound. Also in that solution is a dye whose identity varies on the desired color. The second solution is hydrogen peroxide and is contained inside an inner glass cylinder. The cylinder keeps the two solutions separate, therefor keeping the reaction from occurring. When the glow stick is snapped, the cylinder breaks, allowing the two solutions to mix. When the solutions mix, it kick starts the reaction which then leads to the glow. As a precaution, glow stick packaging usually states that the sticks should not be cut open. This is because skin contact with the solutions can cause irritation and dermatitis (“The Chemistry of Glow Sticks”, …show more content…
The diphenyl oxalat4e is oxidized by the hydrogen peroxide, which produces the unstable compound dioxetanedione. This compound is so unstable that it readily decomposes into carbon dioxide, also releasing energy as it does so. Although uninvolved in the reaction, the electrons in the molecules of the dye can absorb the energy given off by the dioxetanedione as it decomposes, and because of that they are promoted to an excited state. When the electrons come back down to their ground state, they then lose their excess energy by the form of photons of light. This process is known as chemiluminescence, which is the emission of light. There may also be a limited emission of heat (“Chemistry 101”, 2017). While the molecules in the dye are always present, the hydrogen peroxide and diphenyl oxalate are slowly used up in the reaction until one finally runs out. It is at that point the glow stick stops emitting a glow. Like many chemical reactions, glow sticks are influenced by temperature. Warm temperatures will speed up the reaction, while cool temperatures will slow it down. Less light will be produced while the glow stick is cold, but it will last longer. However, if the stick is immersed in hot water, it will glow much brighter but will not last very long (“The Chemistry of Glow Sticks”, 2014). This is why you’re supposed to stick them in the