Glow stick glow

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From: emuller@exploratorium.edu
Date: Wed Nov 05 2003 - 23:48:29 PST 

Message-ID: <16698.63.227.43.131.1068104909.squirrel@www.exo.net>
Date: Wed, 5 Nov 2003 23:48:29 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Glow stick glow
From: emuller@exploratorium.edu

Hi Pinholers,
Last weekend was Chem-a-palooza.
We did an activity where we poured the contents of a glowing light stick
into some hot water. The glow increased and then faded. This was the
main point of the activity….increase in reaction rate.

Then we poured a few drops of Dish washing liquid into the water and the
glow increased again.

I figure it is a surface tension thing. Paul guessed that maybe it is an
acid base thing. Doug at the session thought it might be a phosphate
thing.

I don't know what’s going on!

Besides writing, "I don't know" in my handout, anybody have an idea what’s
going on?

-Eric Muller

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