Kuntzleman, Thomas Scott, Kristen Rohrer, and Emeric Schultz. “The Chemistry of Lightsticks: Demonstrations To Illustrate Chemical Processes.” Journal of Chemical Education 89, no. 7 (2012): 910–916.
Abstract: Lightsticks, or glowsticks as they are sometimes called, are perhaps the chemist’s quintessential toy. Because they are easy to activate and appealing to observe, experimenting with lightsticks provides a great way to get young people interested in science. Thus, we have used lightsticks to teach chemical concepts in a variety of outreach settings and demonstration shows. Although these devices are simple to operate, a working lightstick depends upon a rich array of physicochemical processes. For example, the chemical processes involved in lightsticks include acid–base chemistry, redox reactions, quantum chemistry, and thermodynamics. Consequently, we have used lightstick experiments and demonstrations in general, inorganic, and physical chemistry classes. In this paper, we share some experiments and demonstrations with lightsticks that we have used in these various educational settings.
