Marvin and Milo
Explore physics the exciting way, by trying out a simple and fun experiment. This month, "Glowing". Don't forget to check back next month for the next edition...
Glowing
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What you need
An envelope
A Polo mint or similar sugary sweet
Roll of sticky tape
A dark room
A friend or mirror
Instructions
- Wait about five minutes in a dark room so that your eyes become dark adapted and you can make out some objects.
- Rip open the seal of the envelope – you will see a bluish glow.
- Try crunching a sweet with your mouth open or ripping a piece of sticky tape off the roll.
Results & explanation
Cracking sugar or ripping apart glued surfaces separates positive and negative electrical charges. When they recombine the surrounding air is excited, producing flash of bluish light.
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