Why Glow-in-the-Dark Stars Shine
How do glow stars keep shining after the lights go out?
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Question 1 of 2How do glow stars store light?
The story
Quarky sticks glowing stars on the ceiling and watches them shine long after bedtime. During the day, the stars soak up photons and electrons jump up to higher energy steps. When the lights go out, those electrons come back down slowly, letting the light out little by little. That slow leak of stored light is called phosphorescence, and it is why the stars glow for hours.
What you'll learn
- Electrons can store energy by jumping to higher levels
- Falling back down releases light
- Slow release makes a glow that lasts
- This effect is called phosphorescence
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