Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

I need to know this answer for my paper which is due tomorrow. How does temperature affect the rate at which the colored form of the molecules reverts to the color-free form?

Hello amuchan,

The rate of almost all chemical reactions is dependent on temperature. You can find out about this effect by doing a web search for "temperature dependent chemical reactions."

The color change in the UV beads is only an example of this temperature dependence. You can see the kind of molecules and their reactions that produce photochromic effects by searching for "photochromic" or "photochromism."

Hope this helps, WW