[PDF] effect of temperature on glow sticks

How does temperature affect a glow stick?

In the case of glow sticks, this means a hotter temperature will make the glow stick glow more brightly. However, a faster reaction means it reaches completion more quickly, so placing a glow stick in a hot environment will shorten how long it lasts. On the other hand, you can slow down the rate of a chemical reaction by lowering the temperature.

How do you know if a glow stick is exothermic?

Measure the temperature of a glow stick before activating it. Measure the temperature once you crack the stick to start the chemical reaction. If the temperature increases, the reaction is exothermic. If it decreases, it's endothermic. If you can't record a change, then the reaction is essentially neutral as far as thermal energy is concerned.

Can you use a glow stick to test a chemical reaction?

Grab a pair and use them to examine how temperature affects the rate of chemical reactions. It's good science, plus it's helpful information for when you want to make a glow stick last longer or glow more brightly. Yes, you can just activate the glow sticks, put them in the glasses, and see what happens, but that wouldn't be an experiment.

Why did a glow stick become dimmer in cold water?

So why did the cold water cause the glow stick to become dimmer and the hot water cause the glow stick to become brighter? Chemical reactions occur slower at lower temperatures and faster at higher temperatures. When you put a glow stick in cold water, the chemical reaction slows down but will last for a longer period of time.