Simple Science: 3 Cool Bubble Experiments

Too awesome! We gotta try this – especially the neon one since the boys are so into “glow in the dark” stuff these days…

There’s not a lot about the science behind it on the video, so here are the links if you want to look them up…

How does highlighter ink make the bubbles glow in the dark?

Some highlighters use ink that contains dyes that are fluorescent. The dyes in the highlighter ink require a black light (UV – ultraviolet light) to produce the special glow.

From Steve Spangler Science:

• Phosphorescence – when an object glows in the dark when the lights are off.
• Fluorescence – when an object glows under a ultraviolet light
• Chemiluminescence – when an object glows as a result of a chemical reaction between different chemicals

Also Steve Spangler recommends using tonic water for glow in the dark bubbles because it’s safer (should also check out his warning on using the wrong chemicals for glow-in-the-dark experiments).

Don’t miss this one either – more things that glow in the dark…