Why This Shirt Glows Blue
Why does a plain white shirt glow bright blue under a party light?
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Quarky is writing this for you...
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Question 1 of 2Ultraviolet light is...
The story
Under the disco light Quarky notices everyone's white shirts glowing an electric blue. The secret is hiding in the laundry soap: tiny brightener molecules soak up invisible ultraviolet light, keep a little of the energy, then hand the rest back as blue light we can see. Quarky learns that these molecules are like energy piggy banks that always give back change in a different color.
What you'll learn
- Ultraviolet light is invisible to our eyes but carries lots of energy
- Some molecules absorb UV light and re-emit it as visible light
- This instant glow is called fluorescence
- Laundry brighteners use fluorescence to make white clothes look extra white
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