Fluorescence - Science Theater 32

Fluorescence, it's almost as hard to explain as it is to spell. Dr. Carlson explains how his favorite color (neon) is such a shiny glowy thing and how detergents can get your clothes "whiter than white!"

Category:

Education

Tags:

• color
• energy
• fluorescence
• light
• physics
• science

[borderm3]

Chemically/Physically, Why does it take longer for the phosphorescence atoms longer to de-excite back to their ground state electron configuration?

[sciencetheater]

@borderm3 That's a tricky thing to explain. Basically, they get "excited" by absorbing some energy, and then quickly lose just a bit of energy and move over into a "new" state that is still above the excited state. Then it takes a long time to get back down. Think of it like rolling a ball up a hill, the ball might start back down, but it could roll across the hill a bit and get stuck in a little depression.

[borderm3]

@sciencetheater Anything to do with hybrid orbitals?

[sciencetheater]

@borderm3 Well, most orbitals are probably best thought of as hybrid ones (especially in substances rather than in single isolated atoms). The fact that they're hybridized isn't particularly special, it is more important what energies they are at. You need an empty one (unoccupied) for the electron to jump up to, and then fall down into and get stuck, both need to be at least slightly higher than the ground state.

[vadaniel]

what is the video at 0:05 ??

[sciencetheater]

That's episode #2, "Photons of Light"....

[llRihannall]

THANKS!!

[PvPisHard]

You're amazing man.

Subbed and 5/5.

[thinkinginfog]

wow very good.pretty helpful.

[sciencetheater]

Glad to help!