Fluorescence

Co-Authored by Dean J. Campbell* and Ali Patel* *Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois

Jet-Puffed color changing marshmallows are an interesting new product that is available on the shelves of grocery stores through the end of September.¹ The color of these marshmallows changes when exposed to heat: the blue version turns green, while the pink version turns orange.

I recently developed a demonstration that I’d like to call “The Chemical Laser Show”.

I recently watched a video in which a chemist (who goes by the nickname “NurdRage”) activated a chemiluminescent reaction by vapor deposition. You can see a short clip of this experiment below:

Over the past few years, consumers have been looking for products containing natural rather than synthetic food dyes.^1,2 In response to this trend McCormick & Company, Inc.

Happy New Year!  Did you know that 2015 is the International Year of Light (IYL)? IYL is a “global initiative adopted by the United Nations to raise awareness of how optical technologies promote sustainable development and provide solutions to worldwide challenges in energy, education, agriculture, communications and health¹”.  IYL is sponsored by several organizations with interests in science and science education, including the European Physical Society, the Institute of Physics, the American Physical Society, and the American Institute of Physics.  You can find several lesson plans, videos and other educational resources on the IYL website².