Glowing Bubbles
| Chemistry, Physics: | Fluorescence |
| Grade Range: | Elementary School |
| Format: | Hands-on |
This is a fun and colorful way to show young students what fluorescence is. Be sure to bring some towels, as this will be quite messy!
Materials
- Fluorescent Bubbles containers
- Two Black Lights
- Black Tarp
Safety Precautions
Please read the Liquid Chemical section of the Demonstration Safety page before performing this demonstration.
Demonstration
- Preparation
- To make the fluorescent bubble solution, make sure you have a dye-free and fragrance-free laundry detergent, and a store bought bubble solution. Mix 3 parts of the bubble solution with 1 part laundry detergent, and re-bottle the solution.
- Presentation
- Lay out the tarp across a table, and have it lay out across the floor around the table. Be sure to have plenty of slack for the tarp under the table to minimize risk of it being tugged off the table. Set the black lights on the table, one on either end, and have them facing towards each other. Put the bubble solutions in the middle of the table.
- Let students come up to the table and use the bubble solutions. Have them blow bubbles while between the black lights to see them glow, and also blow bubbles outside of the black lights to see that they don't always glow. As the event goes on, the tarp will start to glow from all the bubble spatter collecting on it!
Why This Works
Fluorescence is when something can absorb high energy light, and then releases lower energy light. Black lights give out violet light, which has a lot of energy to it. Fluorescent materials, such as the bubble solution, can absorb the violet light, which gives them a lot of energy. The extra energy they give out as light, but the light they give out will have less energy, which is why they have a blue glow. The term fluorescence comes from the element Fluorine, which glows brightly under a black light. Fluorescence isn't a reaction in a material, so it isn't something that will fade away after a while. This is why the splatter of bubble solution continues to glow on the tarp! Fluorescence is instead a property of a material, so if something is fluorescent then it will always glow under a black light!
Additional Information
- This demonstration pairs well with the Fluorescent Liquids demonstration.
- Some of our other demonstrations will fluoresce as well! Try using the following with this demonstration: