If you are enrolled in an online homeschool course, then you may know that finding really interesting science projects that are cool can be tough. However, this Lightstick science project is one of my favorite online homeschool projects because it helps to show how chemical reactions can produce light in a very fun way.

Think about all of the chemical reactions that produce light in your life. A candle is one example. However, a candle not only produces light, but it also produces heat. Can you think of any chemical reactions that produce light without producing heat? These types of reactions are called chemiluminescent reactions.

We see chemiluminescent reactions most frequently in living organisms, such as fireflies and some types of fish. These organisms produce light without producing heat. I bet you can think of something else that produces light without producing heat. How about a Lightstick! Just about everyone has seen or played with light sticks, whether as a necklace at a festival or on a camping trip.

In this experiment, we’re going to observe a Lightstick in different environments.

Materials you’ll need:
    •    A Lightstick. Choose any color you’d like.
    •    A glass of cold water
    •    A dark room
    •    A glass of warm water
    •    A freezer

Once you have your Lightstick (which you can purchase at just about any camping store), you’ll be ready to get started. Because this is an experiment in which we observe the light stick in different environments, you’ll want to be sure to take detailed notes about what you see during the process.


By the way, for lots of free homeschool science experiments, Supercharged Science is a great website.

Steps:

    •    Open the Lightstick wrapper and remove the Lightstick. Record your observations about the size, color, shape, contents, and more.
    •    Before you activate the Lightstick, be sure to record the date and the time of the activation.
    •    Activate the Lightstick. You’ll see activation instructions on the packaging of the Lightstick, but in most cases, you simply bend the stick to break a thin glass tube within the stick and then shake the stick.
    •    Go into a darkened room to observe the Lightstick. Record your observations about the color of the glow, the origins of the glow, and anything else you see. For this online homeschool project, you may need to use a flashlight in the darkened room, or you may need to leave the room to record your observations in the light.
    •    Put the Lightstick into a glass of cold water. Record your observations about what happens to the glow of the Lightstick once it’s in the cold water.
    •    Put the Lightstick in a glass of warm water. Record your observations about what happens to the glow once it’s in warm water.
    •    Next, place the Lightstick in the freezer. Leave it there for 24 hours. After 24 hours, observe the Lightstick. Does it retain its glow once removed from the freezer? Does the glow return to the Lightstick after the Lightstick becomes room temperature again?
    •    Keep an eye on your Lightstick throughout the day. Observe what happens to the Lightstick in intervals. Does the glow change? Record information about where you kept the Lightstick, what the temperature was in the room in which you kept the Lightstick, and how the glow changed throughout the day.

What You Observed:
During this observational experiment, you observed a light-producing chemical reaction that did not produce heat. The reaction, instead, produced a glow, which stayed strong in cooler temperatures, but began to fade in warmer temperatures. Now it’s time to review your observation notes and come up with your own conclusions about what happened to the Lightstick reactants in different environments. Not only is this a fun experiment, but it gives you tips for keeping those Lightsticks lasting longer!