glow stick experiment worksheet

• Science Notes Posts
• Contact Science Notes
• Todd Helmenstine Biography
• Anne Helmenstine Biography
• Free Printable Periodic Tables (PDF and PNG)
• Periodic Table Wallpapers
• Interactive Periodic Table
• Periodic Table Posters
• Science Experiments for Kids
• How to Grow Crystals
• Chemistry Projects
• Fire and Flames Projects
• Holiday Science
• Chemistry Problems With Answers
• Physics Problems
• Unit Conversion Example Problems
• Chemistry Worksheets
• Biology Worksheets
• Periodic Table Worksheets
• Physical Science Worksheets
• Science Lab Worksheets
• My Amazon Books

Glow Stick Science Experiment Ideas

Glow sticks are fun devices that emit light through a chemical reaction (chemiluminescence). Here are glow stick experiment ideas, so you can have fun with the colored light and learn something, too!

Quick Overview of How Glow Sticks Work

It isn’t absolutely necessary to understand the chemistry behind how a glow stick works, but it may help you design more advanced experiments.

A glow stick is a plastic tube that contains a liquid and a glass capsule filled with another liquid. The liquid in the glass capsule is a hydrogen peroxide solution. The fluid outside the tube is diphenyl oxalate, a fluorescent dye, and a base catalyst (usually sodium salicylate). Snapping a glow stick breaks the glass capsule so the two liquids react. The reaction oxidizes diphenyl oxalate into phenol and peroxyacid ester. Peroxyacid ester decomposes to produce carbon dioxide, releasing energy that excites the fluorescent dye so that it releases photons (light). Adjusting the ratio of the chemicals changes how brightly a glow stick glows and how long its light lasts.

Glow Stick Experiment #1: Effect of Temperature

Glow sticks emit light because of a chemical reaction, so the most popular glow stick experiment is testing the effect of temperature on how long a glow stick lasts and how brightly it glows.

Start by applying the scientific method . Make observations of glow sticks and form a prediction of what you think will happen to a glow stick in a cold temperature and hot temperature, compared to room temperature. Conduct an experiment to test the prediction or hypothesis . Snap three glow sticks. Place one in a freezer, leave one at room temperature, and place the other in a bowl of hot water (or other warm location). Compare how brightly each glow stick glows and how long they last.

The Science (Spoiler Alert) : Temperature affects the rates of chemical reactions. Usually, temperature speeds the rate of a reaction. This applies to the glow stick reaction, too. At higher temperatures, the reaction releases more energy to excite the fluorescent dye. The glow stick glows more brightly, but the reactions reaches its conclusion quickly. In contrast, cooler temperatures slow the reaction so it lasts longer but produces a dimmer light.

Glow Stick Experiment #2: Exothermic or Endothermic?

A glow stick releases energy in the form of light, so it is an example of an exergonic reaction . Is it also an exothermic (heat-releasing) reaction or is it an endothermic (heat-absorbing) reaction ?

For a fun experiment, start with the scientific method. Make observations, make a prediction, and test the prediction with an experiment. If the glow stick reaction was highly exothermic or endothermic, you could simply crack the stick, hold it in your hand, and record whether it gets hot or cold. By this point, you’ve held a glow stick and know it’s neither very hot nor very color. A better approach is to place each stick in an insulated cup of room temperature water with a thermometer and see whether or not the reaction changes the reading.

The Science (Spoiler Alert) : Unless your thermometer is very sensitive, you probably did not record a temperature change from the glow stick reaction. It’s an exergonic reaction, but not an exothermic reaction. How is this possible? The answer is pretty technical: the reaction violates the Woodward-Hoffmann rules so the stereochemical conformation that releases heat is a forbidden transition. The simple explanation is that the structure of the dye allows it to absorb energy and release it as light, but it can’t use that energy to change its shape and release heat. (Actually, a glow stick releases a tiny amount of heat, but not enough to really matter.)

Design Your Own Experiment

Some of the coolest science experiments come from asking “what would happen” questions. For example, what do you think would happen if you mixed the contents of a glow stick and a ferrofluid (liquid magnet). Make a prediction, form a hypothesis, and design an experiment to test the hypothesis.

Do you think the two liquids mix so you won’t see the light from the glow stick? Maybe the liquid magnet makes the glow stick brighter. Maybe the two chemicals don’t mix at all and nothing happens.

Do you have a hypothesis? Here’s what happens:

Ideas for fun glow stick experiments include:

• Is carbon dioxide produced by the glow stick reaction?
• Does adding hydrogen peroxide to the glow stick contents make the light glow brighter or affect how long the light lasts?
• Does mixing milk (which is slightly acidic ) with glow stick contents affect the reaction?
• Do all the glow stick colors glow the same length of time?
• How does mixing two glow stick colors affect the color of light that is produced? Is it like mixing pigments or like mixing light?
• Karukstis, Kerry K.; Van Hecke, Gerald R. (2003-04-10).  Chemistry Connections: The Chemical Basis of Everyday Phenomena . Academic Press. ISBN 9780124001510. 
• Kuntzleman, Thomas Scott; Rohrer, Kristen; Schultz, Emeric (2012-06-12). “The Chemistry of Lightsticks: Demonstrations To Illustrate Chemical Processes”.  Journal of Chemical Education .  89  (7): 910–916. doi: 10.1021/ed200328d
• Kuntzleman, Thomas S.; Comfort, Anna E.; Baldwin, Bruce W. (2009). “Glowmatography”.  Journal of Chemical Education .  86  (1): 64. doi: 10.1021/ed086p64

Related Posts

• Book Lists by Age
• Book Lists by Category
• Reading Resources
• Language & Speech
• Raise a Reader Blog
• Back to School
• Success Guides by Grade
• Homework Help
• Social & Emotional Learning
• Activities for Kids

Glow Stick Science Experiment for Kids

How do glow sticks work explore their chemistry by comparing what happens when you submerge them in different temperatures..

Playing with glow sticks is a fun, hands-on way for your young scientist to see how energy can be transformed from stored chemical energy to light energy.  By simply submerging the glowing sticks in water your child can observe how brightness produced by the chemical reaction changes, depending on temperature. Here's how:

• At least 3 glow sticks that are the same size and color
• 2 foam cups
• A thermometer (optional)
• Kitchen tongs
• Permanent marker

Step 1: Give your child a glow stick to observe. Ask what she sees when she looks at it closely. Tell her that the bubbles contain chemicals.

Step 2: Fill one foam cup with hot water from the tap.

Step 4: Use the permanent marker to label one stick “hot,” one stick “cold,” and the third stick “room temperature.”

Step 5: Ask whether she thinks a glow stick will glow brighter in hot or cold water.

Step 8: After three minutes, remove the glow sticks from the water and place them side-by-side on the table with the room temperature glow stick. Ask your child if she can see a difference between them.

Step 9: Have your child put the sticks in order from brightest to dimmest. Was her guess correct?

Step 10: Optional: Let her test the same thing using different colored glow sticks to see whether some colors glow brighter than others.  

Crack two glow sticks to activate them. Put one in the freezer overnight. Leave the other one at room temperature. Compare them the next morning.

The Science Behind the Fun

Stored energy is called potential energy. Glow sticks contain potential energy in the form of chemicals: fluorescent dyes and a chemical called hydrogen peroxide. No light can be released until the chemicals are mixed together.

When you mix the chemicals together by cracking the glow stick, they react to make new chemicals and release excess energy in the form of light, transforming chemical energy into light energy. How brightly the sticks glow depends on the temperature of their environment.

Adding heat to a chemical reaction makes it happen faster, so adding heat to a glow stick makes it produce more light energy for a short period of time. However, a colder glow stick will glow longer since it’s reacting and releasing light energy more slowly.

You can find more experiments like this one at kitchenpantryscientist.com , and in my books Kitchen Science Lab for Kids (Quarry Books), Outdoor Science Lab for Kids (Quarry Books), and my upcoming book STEAM Lab for Kids: 52 Creative Projects Exploring Science, Technology, Art and Math (available wherever books are sold).

All photos © Energy Lab for Kids (Quarry Books 2017)

• Activities Blog

Must-have Handbook

• Courageous Homeschooling Handbook
• Useful Stuff
• Homeschool Secrets Of Success
• Memory Books
• Journals And Notebooks
• Starting Homeschool
• Why Homeschooling Is Better
• Complete Homeschool Planner
• Pros and Cons
• How to Begin
• Quotes And Inspiration
• Homeschooling Handbook
• Teaching Ideas
• Report Keeping
• Free Worksheets
• Glimpse Into Our Days
• Unschooling
• Free E-Book: Experiments That Won't Let You Down!
• Homeschool Unit Studies
• Creative Writing
• Decoupage How To
• Free Coloring Pages
• Best Math Games
• Times Tables Tips
• High School
• Teaching the Alphabet
• Kindergarten
• Happiness Blog
• Free Happiness Course

Cool Science Experiments For Kids: Fun With Glow Sticks

Here's a perfect way to enjoy cool science experiments for kids by getting a free e-book of our top ten experiments that won't let you down!

Let's start by showing you how to use g low sticks to investigate  bioluminescence.

I can guarantee lots of fun along the way!

You can try experiments in the bath , go night-time bowling and use your back garden as a science lab.  You'll be doing some glow stick painting too!

A word of warning : kids will love experimenting with light sticks but this is an adult supervised activity. 

Glow sticks have glass tubes inside.   With care, these experiments are all kid friendly but you are responsible for ensuring safety at all times.

Kids Science

You'll have seen bioluminescence being used by animals from fireflies to anglerfish .

You can teach your kids a bit about it by mimicking the effect by using light sticks in the dark.

Glow sticks are examples of products using luminescence .

Now I know this is all a bit of an excuse to have a bit of fun .

But I think that's fine.

I believe teaching kids science is all about getting kids excited about the world around them. 

Once they're interested, they'll want to find out all sorts of things and if playing with glow sticks spark your child's imagination - great !

See more fascinating facts about fireflies below.

Glow Sticks Experiments

Glo sticks in the bath.

This is a beautiful picture of a squid using bioluminescence to hide its silhouette.

There's an easy way you can find out what luminescence looks like underwater.

Try putting glow sticks in your bath !

Why not get your kids to add some bubbles and see what effect that has?

Cool Experiments With Luminescence

You can also show how animals use bioluminescence to attract others of the same species .

Get the kids to go round the house and put light sticks in darkened rooms.

We tried hanging ours off the hall chandelier !

Even more fun for cool science experiments for kids is to use you garden as a science lab.

Go outside and try pretending to be a firefly and hang light sticks from tree branches !

You can do an easy experiment to compare the light you get from candles to the light given off by glow sticks.

• Light some floating candles and see how much light they give out.
• Get your kids to blow out the candles.
• The adult can then snap a light stick and pour the inside into the candles. 

You can see ours glowing as brightly as the female firefly!

"My son has a glass jar filled with water and iron filings. He uses neodymium magnets to manipulate the iron. We turned all the lights off one evening, activated some glow sticks , cut them open and poured them into the jar.

Definitely doing it again. We had to rinse the filings several times the next day because they rusted (but that is also a science lesson)."

~ Katy, homeschool-activites Facebook fan

What Is Bioluminescence?

Wikipedia gives the official definition, but basically you're showing your kids that animals can produce and give out light. 

Bioluminescence is a form of chemiluminescence where light energy is released by a chemical reaction, which is the way glow sticks work .

Fascinating Facts About Fireflies

Here's some amazing science facts about fireflies which show how cool science experiments can be:

• Fireflies use light to signal to each other
• Firefly lights are the most efficient lights in the world ; in a standard lightbulb, only 10% is light and the rest is given off as heat
• Different species have different 'blink rates' so they light up in different patterns
• Some firefly eggs actually glow
• Fireflies produce light using a chemical called luciferase or luciferin which is useful in biomedical research
• Blue ghost fireflies are so named because they glow with an eerie blue or green light.

See more fascinating facts about fireflies here, including the fact that fireflies can be HUGE. Females of the Lamprigera firefly can grow to be the size of your palm!

Fun With Glow Sticks

What about light stick toss ?  Great fun for cool science experiments for kids.

Or glo stick bowling ?

Cool Activities

And then there's light stick painting . 

We've got lots of fun children's art activities to try, but be carefu l on this one - you probably need to do it yourself.  

When you snap a glow stick, the liquid is contained in a glass tube.  To avoid the danger of bits of glass, I think you should do the painting and your child can admire how cool it looks!

You'll see the glowing paint brush in the middle of my surreal picture:

And don't forget the mason jar!

I used pendant glow sticks because they have more liquid and then dropped some sequins and glitter inside for extra fun.

Free Printable Sheet

You can download our free printable sheet with cool science experiments for kids using glow sticks.

If you're worried about the safety aspect, Wikipedia tells you precisely what light sticks contain.

In the free printable sheet, you'll find lots of easy and fun activities like:

• Glow-in-the-dark lanterns
• Light up balloons
• A surprise for Easter Bunny !

Free Science EBook

• Get a free e-book of my top ten science activities that won't let you down!

Cool science experiments for kids like this are great for having fun together.  

Want to remember this? Pin the Glowsticks Science page to your favorite Pinterest board!

• Kids Experiments
• Glow Sticks

FREE Homeschool Newsletter

"Just had a look through your monthly newsletter focusing on math. Thanks so much for all the links and ideas. It's brilliant!" ~ Diana      

"Hi....I totally love all your posts and enjoy reading them....the kids love the activities and enjoy them through and through." ~ Bianka

Enjoy This Page? Please Share It....

Site Search

Newsletter, course and book, starting out, how to homeschool, art and craft.

Free Newsletter

4 books in one : Bargain discount deal!

"With the education system failing so many brilliant children it's great to be able to have resources like your website for inspiration, ideas and just a sense of belonging. What you are doing for your children is priceless ." ~ Natalija

"I really appreciate your time and effort that goes into your posts... It's nice to see that you are a 2nd generation homeschooler." ~ Teresa

"Your newsletters & book have helped us through our journey.  For that I can only thank you . Please, please, please keep it up, people like you make our home school life so much easier." ~ Kelly

" I have joined paid sites that were not even one percent as great as this site. Really amazing what you are doing and so so helpful thanks so much!" ~ Eli

My highly recommended book Homeschool Secrets of Success.

© Copyright 2010-2024 Homeschool-Activities.com.  Content by Sonya Chappell .  All rights reserved.

N.B. Please note that some of the links on this site are affiliate links so if you buy you will pay exactly the same price as you would have done but I get a small percentage of the sale (which usually adds up to the cost of a cookie). If you would prefer not to support this site in that way, just go to Google and search for the product yourself.

Click to read my Privacy Policy, Terms and Conditions .

• Elementary Science , Middle School Science , Science Experiments

FREE Glow Stick Science Experiment

Have you ever wondering how a glow stick works? Have your students asked this question? Glow sticks function because of a chemical reaction and some great engineering. That’s right! Someone had to design a way for glow sticks to keep the chemical reactants within them separate until they are ready for the chemical reaction to occur.

FREE Science Experiment

This free resource comes with the lab directions and follow up pages and also an informational text article so that students can read about the construction of a glow stick and the chemical reaction.

You can get this free science resource today by signing up for my newsletter. My newsletter is full of great science teaching ideas, flash freebies, special discounts and more. Get Free science experiments delivered to your inbox.

A  glow stick  is a self-contained, short-term light source. It consists of a translucent plastic tube containing isolated substances that, when combined, make light through chemiluminescence. If you are interested in chemical reactions you should visit this post on Forming a Precipitate .

Helpful Hint: Want your glow stick to last longer? Try placing it in the freezer!

You might also like...

Earth’s Spheres and Sphere Interaction – 5th Grade Science Unit

Solar Oven STEM Activity

1st Grade Science Unit – Animals & Their Babies

Digital Escape Room The Honey Bee 3rd, 4th and 5th grade

Browse the blog.

feeling Social?

Get teaching tips, resources, and freebies delivered right to your inbox.

Try this free 5 E Lesson on Flower Dissection when you join my newsletter.

• All Resources
• Comprehension
• Phonemic Awareness
• Sight Words/Vocabulary
• Conventions
• Parts of Speech
• Sentence Structure
• Types of Writing
• Counting and Cardinality
• Measurement
• Number Sense
• Earth Science
• Life Science
• Physical Science
• Biographies
• Resources By Series

Science in a Snap – Glow Stick Experiment

See the rest of this set: science in a snap, ages: 1st grade, 2nd grade, kindergarten, download format: .pdf file.

A complete science investigation and corresponding activities including a QR code for reading, an essential question, both student and teacher supply lists, and directions on completing experiments on how different temperatures can impact a glow stick.

Related Resources

More in Science

You are out of free downloads this month. Upgrade to download this resource.

Glow Stick Science

• Read more about: Experiments

Hi, I'm Becca!

Search the site, browse by category.

• A list of ALL blog posts
• Back to School
• Biochemistry
• Body Systems
• Classification
• Classroom Decor
• Classroom Management
• Distance Learning
• End of the School Year
• Experiments
• Field Trips
• For NEW Teachers
• Formative Assessment
• Media in the Classroom
• Microscopes
• Photosynthesis & Respiration
• Plate Tectonics
• Sustainability
• Teacher Tips
• Weather and Climate

Get Freebies!

You might also like....

Read Aloud Closure Assignments

Biology Picture Book Recommendations

Earth and Space Science Picture Book Recommendations

Want a fun way to practice science vocabulary? Try out seek and finds!

Privacy Overview

Get Your ALL ACCESS Shop Pass here →

Light Experiments For Kids (Free Light Worksheets)

Explore the science of light energy with kids! Learn about what light is with a simple definition, and everyday examples of light energy. Grab the free printable light worksheets below, and set up these fun and hands on light experiments for kids!

What Is Light?

Here is a simple definition of light energy for kids:

Light energy is a type of electromagnetic radiation that we can see. It travels in waves and can move through empty space. It comes from sources like the Sun, light bulbs, and flashlights. Light energy helps us see things around us and gives off heat. When light hits an object, it can be reflected (bounced back), absorbed (soaked up), or transmitted (passed through).

Free Printable Light Energy Worksheets

Grab the free printable light worksheet pack [here] .

Fun Light Experiments For Kids

Extend the learning with hands-on light science for kids! There are many great ideas for investigating the properties of light.

Recommended Grade Level: 1-3rd grades

Color Wheel Spinner

Famous scientist Isaac Newton discovered that light is made up of many colors. Learn more by making a spinning color wheel! Can you make white light from all the different colors?

Does Light Pass Through?

Use flashlights to shine light through everyday objects and discuss whether the materials are transparent, translucent, or opaque. Grab the free printable worksheet!

Drawing Shadows

Observe and draw the shadows of a variety of everyday objects. Experiment with how changing the angle of the light source changes the shadow.

Glow Stick Chemistry

Place glow sticks in different temperatures (the freezer, warm water etc.) and observe how the brightness changes.

Glowing Spinach

Transform ordinary spinach that you eat into a glowing green mixture under ultraviolet light! Explore the phenomenon of fluorescence. A fun light experiment for older year groups.

Kaleidoscope

Create a kaleidoscope and observe the patterns formed by reflected light.

Light Through Different Liquids

Shine a flashlight through different liquids (water, oil, syrup etc.) to explore how light bends (refraction).

Make Rainbows

Explore light and refraction when you make rainbows using a variety of simple supplies including a prism – awesome hands-on science for kids of all ages.

Mirror Reflections

Set up a simple mirror activity for preschool and kindergarten science play and explore light and reflections through hands-on play.

For older students, Investigate how angles and surfaces affect the reflection of light. Set up experiments with mirrors at different angles and observe the angle of reflection.

Pinhole Camera

Create a simple pinhole camera and observe the inverted image formed inside the box. Observe how light travels in straight lines.

Potato Battery

Create a simple electrical circuit to power a light bulb.

Shadow Puppets

Make simple animal shadow puppets and learn about the science of shadows.

Use a pizza box to create a solar oven and cook s’mores, as a fun way to explore solar energy and absorption.

Spectroscope

Create your own DIY spectroscope from a few simple supplies and make a rainbow from visible light for a fun physics project for kids.

Set up a sundial outside and observe how the shadow moves throughout the day.

Place objects on construction paper and leave them in sunlight to create sun prints.

Water Refraction

Why does the image appear reversed? Have fun with a hands-on demonstration of what happens when light bends!

Refraction vs Reflection

Consolidate the learning with the printable activity below!

More Physical Science Activities

Here are a few more science experiments similar to light science that focus on other fundamental physical science concepts. All are engaging, educational and budget-friendly!

• Gravity Experiments
• Magnet Activities
• Simple Machine Projects
• Potential & Kinetic Energy
• Static Electricity
• Surface Tension Experiments

💡 Groudhog Day is also a fun time of year to dive into light science or light energy projects!

Science Experiments By Age Group

We’ve put together a few separate resources for different age groups, but remember that many experiments will cross over and can be re-tried at several different age levels. Younger kiddos can enjoy the simplicity and hands-on fun. At the same time, you can talk back and forth about what is happening.

As kiddos get older, they can bring more complexity to the experiments, including using the scientific method , developing hypotheses, exploring variables , creating different tests, and writing conclusions from analyzing data.

• Science for Toddlers
• Science for Preschoolers
• Science for Kindergarten
• Elementary Science by Season
• Science for 1st Grade
• Science for 2nd Grade
• Science for 3rd Grade
• Science for 4th Grade
• Science for 6th Grade
• Science for Middle School

Helpful Science Resources To Get You Started

Here are a few resources that will help you introduce science more effectively to your kiddos or students and feel confident yourself when presenting materials. You’ll find helpful free printables throughout.

• Best Science Practices (as it relates to the scientific method)
• Science Vocabulary
• All About Scientists
• Free Science Worksheets
• DIY Science Kits
• Science Tools for Kids
• Scientific Method for Kids
• Citizen Science Guide
• Join us in the Club

Printable Science Projects For Kids

If you’re looking to grab all of our printable science projects in one convenient place plus exclusive worksheets and bonuses like a STEAM Project pack, our Science Project Pack is what you need! Over 300+ Pages!

• 90+ classic science activities  with journal pages, supply lists, set up and process, and science information.  NEW! Activity-specific observation pages!
• Best science practices posters  and our original science method process folders for extra alternatives!
• Be a Collector activities pack  introduces kids to the world of making collections through the eyes of a scientist. What will they collect first?
• Know the Words Science vocabulary pack  includes flashcards, crosswords, and word searches that illuminate keywords in the experiments!
• My science journal writing prompts  explore what it means to be a scientist!!
• Bonus STEAM Project Pack:  Art meets science with doable projects!
• Bonus Quick Grab Packs for Biology, Earth Science, Chemistry, and Physics

Subscribe to receive a free 5-Day STEM Challenge Guide

~ projects to try now ~.