Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Hello, I am a high school junior, and I'm interested in a science project related to triboluminescence. Please, if anyone has possible topic suggestions, it would be highly appreciated! I'd like it to be a bit advanced, more difficult than the Wintergreen Lifesaver demo, that is. Thank you again!

julia_8 wrote:Hello, I am a high school junior, and I'm interested in a science project related to triboluminescence. Please, if anyone has possible topic suggestions, it would be highly appreciated! I'd like it to be a bit advanced, more difficult than the Wintergreen Lifesaver demo, that is. Thank you again!

I'm going to give you a few links with more information about this topic. You are correct that everyone uses this as a demo, but there aren't a lot of more sophisticated projects. Once you find something you like, you can post back here, and we can try to refine the project.

I think the top researcher in this field is Prof. Sweeting:
http://pages.towson.edu/ladon/wg/candywww.htm

There is some general info and more links at the bottom at the wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triboluminescence

Maybe you could try to identify compounds with difference fluorescence spectra and see if that leads to different colors of triboluminsecence? For example, you could make a "candy" with sugar and wintergreen oil, which should glow green. You could then make a "candy" with sugar and some chromophore that fluorescese orange. In theory, this should have an orange glow when you smash it. Obviously, these "candies" would be cooked up in the chemistry lab and would not be for eating, but it should be fairly simple to make. (And should probably be called "glasses" or something other than candy so there is no confusion) Do you understand what I'm sugesting?

Hope this helps.

Louise

Louise






http://pages.towson.edu/ladon/wg/candywww.htm