Why glow uv light

Some flowers are "ultraviolet" colored, which you cannot ordinarily see, but may observe when you shine a black light on them. Many more items glow when exposed to black or ultraviolet light. Here is a partial list of other materials that glow:.

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Chemistry Expert. Helmenstine holds a Ph. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels. Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter. Updated December 01, Featured Video. Cite this Article Format. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph. Facts About Green Fluorescent Protein.

Sulfuric Acid and Sugar Demonstration. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for ThoughtCo. Find out what happens when you take common petroleum jelly and a black light to create a ghoulish special effect! Petroleum jelly contains chemicals called phosphors that absorb UV light, later emitting it as a light that we can actually see as part of the visible spectrum.

This effect is mimicked here in this cool, but easy demonstration. To understand the reason this experiment works, we first need to discuss black lights. Black lights earn their name because they give off very little light that can be seen by us. Glow in the dark products do not. UV Black Light products are generally cheaper to purchase.

UV Black Light colours may be mixed together to create new colours, where as glow in the dark products, should not be mixed due to the fact that the resulting colour glow will produce inferior glow properties. Join our newsletter. Email Address.