Glowing Water Science Experiments

Water Glowing Experiment:

Experiment>:

Thanks to common household ingredients, some ingenuity and our guide, these classic science experiments for kids make any day exciting. And we’ve rated each experiment from one to five sponges so you know the messiness factor ahead of time. Scroll down to get busy!

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Method:

In this science experiment, kids make glowing water while exploring phosphors and UV radiation.

The water in this experiment glows under a black light because it contains phosphors extracted from the highlighter ink. Phosphors are chemicals that absorb then release energy from light. The phosphors in this experiment are “fluorescent,” meaning they release their light quickly and don’t retain a glow over time. When phosphors release the light slowly and create a lingering glow, like with glow paint or glow stars, this is called “phosphorescence.”Using a black light is a great way to demonstrate phosphors. A black light emits ultraviolet radiation type A, or “UVA” radiation. This is similar to the ultraviolet radiation type B (“UVB”) that comes from the sun, but is not harmful. (When you look at a black light, you will see a purplish glow, but this isn’t the UVA radiation. The UVA radiation is there, but it is invisible.) When UVA radiation shines on things containing phosphors, the phosphors absorb the invisible light and turn it into visible light – that’s the glow you see in the water.