What happens in a simple glow stick experiment?
How do a glow stick glow? It’s called chemiluminescence meaning the glow occurs from the chemical reaction that happens when the stick is snapped. Electrons within the stick increase in energy level when the reaction occurs.
When the electrons settle back down, the energy released comes out in a form of light which is the chemiluminescence part. Hint chemo as in chemical and lumi as in light.
So how do glow sticks work? Essentially, you begin the chemical reaction when you bend the glow stick. Bending the stick breaks a thin tube inside the stick and allows a hydrogen peroxide solution, a phenyl oxalate ester solution, and a fluorescent dye to mix together. This reaction releases energy, which then produces light. The reaction that occurs in light sticks is called chemiluminescence, which uniquely produces light without heat. This is why people call chemiluminescence “cool” light.