Luminescence Illuminator
Warning!
Adult supervision required
Please read the procedure before beginning! After reading, please watch the video. Some activities require more time and cleanup than others. You also have the choice of performing these activities in a way that suits your needs.
Materials
- 3 Jumbo Craft Sticks
- 2ft of Copper Tape
- Roll of Washi Tape
- 2 UV LED Diodes
- 3V Battery
- Scissors
- Strip of Gem Stickers
- 1oz Jar of Laundry
- Detergent
- Paint Brush
- Activity Booklet
Procedure
1. Begin by testing your LED light to ensure that it works. Place the long prong (+ positive) on the smooth side of the battery, the short (- negative) prong on the bumpy side.
2. Take a piece of copper tape, peel off the backing and wrap it around a thumb’s length above the base of one craft stick creating a ring.
3. A finger’s width above that, wrap another piece of tape around the same craft stick creating a second ring.
4. Leaving the space between the rings open, place tape along the upper and lower lengths of the craft stick.
5. On the second craft stick cover the entire length with copper tape.
6. For the last craft stick, use the distance of your rings to measure your “button”.
7. Cut the craft stick slightly beyond that length. Be careful, as the craft stick end may fly in the air when cut.
8. Place copper tape along the length of the cut craft sick piece.
9. Using copper tape, attach the UV light to the first and second craft sticks; the positive prong on the first stick with the rings, the negative prong on the fully taped stick.
10. Between these, place the cut stick with the curved end by the LED. This will act as our circuit insulator.
11. In the space left by the cut stick, create a tape loop and place the battery in that space with the positive side up.
12. Connect the cut craft stick piece to the ringed stick by placing a strip of tape to one end like a hinge!
13. Finally, wrap a piece of tape to secure your craft stick; one at the base of your button, and another a two finger’s with below the LED light. Alakazam! Your Luminescence Illuminator is finished!
14. Using the laundry detergent and paint brush, paint pictures or secret codes in your activity booklet then point your illuminator at your masterpiece!
Science Behind It!
Light is a form of energy that can be emitted by objects. This luminescence can be absorbed by other objects and reemitted at a different wavelength. The UV light on your illuminator when pointed at the laundry detergent interacts with the brighteners in the detergent and causes it to reemit the light immediately in an act of fluorescence.