HOW TEMPERATURE AFFECTS CHEMILUMINESCENCE

WHAT IS CHEMILUMINESCENCE?

• Light created by a chemical reaction
• Called bioluminescence in nature-found in sea creatures and fireflies, for example
• Like all chemical reactions, it is affected by temperature
• Cold temperatures usually slow reactions, while warmer temperatures usually speed up reactions

HOW DO GLOW STICKS WORK?

• Hydrogen peroxide is stored within a glass tube in the glow stick
• Outside of the glass vial is phenyl oxalate ester mixed with a fluorescent dye
• When you "crack" a glow stick, the glass vial breaks and the chemicals mix
• When they mix, a reaction occurs, and they give off light as a result

THE PROBLEM

• Does temperature affect how long a glow stick will last?

HYPOTHESIS

• If I freeze a glow stick, it will last for a longer period of time

MATERIALS AND PROCEDURE

• Materials: 3 glow sticks, freezer, 3 cups warm/hot water in a bowl
• I cracked the three glow sticks, placed one in the freezer, one in warm water, and the third left for control
• I checked the brightness initially, after an hour, and after five hours.

INITIAL BRIGHTNESS-FREEZER

INITIAL BRIGHTNESS-CONTROL

INITIAL BRIGHTNESS-WARM

AFTER 1 HOUR-CONTROL

AFTER 1 HOUR-WARM

AFTER 1 HOUR-FREEZER

FINAL-CONTROL

FINAL-WARM

FINAL-FREEZER

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IN CONCLUSION

• Temperature does affect chemiluminescence
• Cold temperatures will slow down chemiluminescent reactions
• Warm temperatures will speed up reactions