Phenomenon: Ultraviolet (UV)

Objective: Test which dollar bills react to UV light.

Materials
- UV light
- Highlighter markers (Pink, orange, green, blue, yellow)
- KleenSlate Whiteboard & Chalkboard Cleaner

Procedure:
1) Place highlighters in a dark area (make sure the markers are near each other)
2) Shine UV light onto the markers’ ​plastic casing​, making sure that each marker
has some exposure to the light
3) Record which markers react
4) Spray Kleen Slate onto flat surface
5) Shine UV light onto foam
6) Wipe foam onto hands
7) Shine UV light onto hands
8) Record results
Hypothesis: Highlight markers will glow under UV light because of fluorescent
molecules

Data: Qualitative
- Blue and yellow markers didn’t glow
- Pink, orange, and green markers glowed
- Foam glowed
- Foam on hands glowed a paler colour

Conclusion: The phenomenon being researched/experimented with is UV light. This

was chosen in order to see what reactions would occur in certain substances. Our
group did two separate experiments; one that tested five differently coloured highlighter
marker cases (orange, green, yellow, blue, pink) to see which ones would react, and
one that tested KleenSlate Whiteboard & Chalkboard Cleaner.
In the first experiment, the orange, pink, and green highlighters glowed when
exposed to the UV light, as expected; the blue marker didn’t react, which I expected
since the blue was the duller of the highlighters. What was unexpected was the yellow
highlighter, which didn’t react; this was unexpected because I thought that yellow, being
an inherently bright colour, would naturally react. I believe that the markers reacted the
way they did because of the way the plastic casing was manufactured; individual
research revealed that when making brightly coloured plastics, fluorescent molecules
are often added. The reason I believe the yellow marker didn’t react is because as
stated previously, yellow is inherently a bright colour, meaning there was probably no
need to add fluorescents; for the blue marker, I believe it has to do with the fact that
blue is the closest colour to ultraviolet compared to the other highlighters, meaning the
UV light was probably absorbed.
In the second experiment, the Kleenslate foam fluoresced, turning a bright blue
with a hint of violet; when on the foam was on palm of a hand, it fluoresced a soft baby
blue. This was expected, since research done prior revealed that cleaning products like
laundry detergent glow under UV light. The reason the KleenSlate glowed is most likely
because of the presence of a whitening chemical; whitening chemicals, such as the
ones found in detergent and on paper, fluoresce under UV light because they absorb
UV and violet light and re-emit it as blue. When the foam was on the palm of a hand, it
probably fluoresced a different colour because of the different surface, material, and
texture it was on.
The reason why certain substances and materials fluoresce under UV light is
because of the way said substances and materials react with the light. In the case of
whiteners, light in the violet and UV range is absorbed and re-emitted at a lower
frequency colour; specifically, blue. This is also true for chlorophyll, ink in banknotes,
and certain coloured plastics; each of them absorbs UV light and re-emits it as visible
light. A more in-depth reason for the phenomenon has to do with electrons. When
exposed to light, electrons transition to a higher energy level, before returning to a lower
level. In order for an electron to transition to a lower energy level, it has to lose some
energy, which is done by emitting light.