Welcome to our science lab, where we have fun with cool experiments! Today, we’re going to make a spooky treat that will light up your Halloween: glowing jello. But here’s the trick—it doesn’t actually glow in the dark; it’s fluorescent!
Fluorescence is when certain things absorb ultraviolet (UV) light and then shine in colors we can see. We can’t see UV light with our eyes, but some animals, like certain bugs, can. UV light is just beyond the violet color in the rainbow, which includes red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.
Things that are fluorescent, like glow-in-the-dark posters, soak up UV light and then glow in colors we can see. In our jello experiment, the magic ingredient that makes it fluorescent is tonic water, which has something called quinine in it.
Tonic water is a fizzy drink that tastes a bit bitter because of quinine. Quinine comes from the bark of a tree and has been used as medicine. When tonic water is under UV light, the quinine makes it glow blue, which is perfect for our spooky jello!
To make your own fluorescent jello, you’ll need:
While the glowing jello looks cool, tonic water can taste bitter because of the quinine. If you want to eat it, try adding some whipped cream or a sweet topping to make it taste better.
This spooky science experiment is a fun way to learn about fluorescence and cool science ideas like UV light and chemical reactions. We hope you enjoy making your glowing jello and have a blast experimenting! Stay tuned for more exciting science adventures!
