WHAT YOU'LL NEED:
3 lightsticks
1 Cup of warm water
1 Cup of cold water
1 Pair of tongs or a spoon
 

PROCEDURE:

This experiment will show you how chemical energy can be converted into radiant(light) energy.

Remove 3 lightsticks from their foil packages.

Notice the small capsule inside the lightstick. This ampule is filled with hydrogen peroxide (which is commonly used to disinfect cuts or bleach hair). The plastic tube of the lightstick is filled with a liquid called ester. These two liquids are kept separate by the glass ampule. When the ampule is broken by bending the plastic tube, the hydrogen peroxide comes into contact with the ester.

Now, gently bend the first two lightsticks until you hear the capsule snap. Vigorously shake the lightsticks for 10 seconds. Place 1 lightstick in cold water, and leave the other lightstick at room temperature on a table top or desk.

Question: Is the lightstick in the cold water brighter or dimmer than the lightstick at room temperature?

Answer: The cold water lightstick should be dimmer than the room temperature lightstick.

Next, take the third lightstick and gently bend it until you hear the capsule inside snap. Vigorously shake the lightstick for 10 seconds. Put the third lightstick into the warm water. You should be able to notice that the lightstick in warm water is much brighter than the lightstick in cold water. The warm water lightstick is also brighter than the room temperature lightstick on the table top

RESULTS:

The warm water lightstick glows the brightest because the warm water has transferred some of its energy to the chemicals inside the lightstick. If the molecules in the lightstick are given more energy, the rate of reaction will increase. The warm water has helped to activate the chemicals in the lightstick.

The lightstick at room temperature should produce light for approximately 8 hours. Since warm water speeds up the reaction and produces more light, the warm water lightstick will glow for a shorter period of time.

The cold water lightstick glows the dimmest of the three because the cold water has removed some of the activation energy of the chemicals in the lightstick. Since the reaction between the chemicals in this lightstick occurs at a much slower rate, the cold water lightstick should glow for more than eight hours.

All the lightsticks contain the same amount of chemicals. However, if we increase the rate of the chemical reaction, the lightstick will give off more light for a shorter period of time. If we decrease the rate of the chemical reaction, the lightstick will give off less light for a much longer period of time. The lightstick is a good example of chemical energy converted into radiant energy.

*This experiment was taken from the Science of Energy Kit, published by the N.E.E.D. Project. If you wish to obtain additional experiments, you can contact the N.E.E.D. Project at 703-860-5029.

*The purpose of this brochure is meant to give the adolescent and teenager a basic understanding of the scientific reaction called chemiluminescence.

*The information and statements herein are believed to be reliable but are not to be construed as a warranty or representation for which we assume legal responsibility

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