Glowstick Dissection

This demonstration explores the chemical reaction inside glowsticks by dissecting them and using their contents to create glowing artwork. Students learn about chemiluminescence and reaction rates while experimenting with color, brightness, and duration of glow.

1. Put on safety glasses and gloves before handling glowsticks.
2. Label containers for the two separate liquids: the clear activator (hydrogen peroxide) and the colored dye solution (diphenyl oxalate with dye).
3. Use cutters to carefully remove the top of a glowstick and drain the clear activator fluid into a container.
4. Remove the inner glass tube, rinse off hydrogen peroxide from the outside, and place it on a paper towel.
5. Cover the glass tube with a paper towel, break it carefully with cutters, and pour the dye solution into a separate container. Dispose of the broken glass safely.
6. Repeat the process with additional glowsticks to collect a variety of dye solutions for painting.
7. Prepare petri dishes or dark containers as painting surfaces. Pour each dye solution into separate dishes.
8. Using a dropper or applicator, add small amounts of hydrogen peroxide to each dish to activate the glow and create glowing artwork.
9. Experiment with temperature changes (e.g., adding ice beneath dishes) or peroxide concentration to observe effects on brightness and duration.

How Do Glow Sticks Work? - Dr. Diana Wehrell-Grabowski:

📄 Glowstick Dissection and Painting - The Oakland Toy Lab: https://www.instructables.com/Glowstick-Dissection-and-Painting/

• Use glowsticks of different colors to create a wider palette for painting.
• Experiment with store-bought hydrogen peroxide of higher concentration to compare reaction rates.
• Chill the glow mixtures in ice baths or refrigerate them to slow the reaction and extend glow time.

• Safety glasses required.
• Gloves required to prevent skin contact with chemicals.
• Handle broken glass carefully and dispose of it in a proper sharps container.
• Do not ingest or apply glowstick chemicals to skin.
• Perform the activity in a well-ventilated area and avoid spills.

• What chemical reaction occurs inside a glowstick to produce light? (Hydrogen peroxide reacts with diphenyl oxalate to produce phenol, carbon dioxide, and energy that excites the dye molecules to emit photons.)
• How does changing the concentration of hydrogen peroxide affect the brightness and duration of glow? (Higher concentrations increase brightness but shorten glow time.)
• Why does lowering the temperature slow down the reaction? (Lower temperatures reduce the rate of molecular collisions, slowing the reaction and making the glow last longer.)
• Why do glowsticks use different dyes? (Different dyes absorb and emit photons at different wavelengths, producing a variety of colors.)