Reflection: We are soaking clear water beads in high lighter ink and water mixed together. What water beads do is absorb water that they are soaked in, so the water beads are absorbing highlighter water. The highlighter ink is the thing that makes the beads glow under a UV light. High lighters contain phosphors that emit light that are also called luminescence. The type of luminescence that is in highlighters are called fluorescence which only glows when the UV light is turned on. The UV light is also called a ultra violet light or a black light and it is part of the electromagnetic spectrum. What the UV light does is that it emits a UV light that illuminates objects and materials that contain phosphors. UV light is a light that isn't visible to the human eye but when the UV light goes through the phosphors, the phosphors turn the UV light into visible light which is the light that the human eye can see. So the water beads glowed because they contained phosphors that were excited by the radiation. The UV light reacted with the phosphors that were in the high lighter ink.
Looking Back:
This experiment definitely worked. The high lighter ink in the water turned the clear beads yellow. Ivy and I tested the beads under a UV light to see if it would glow and it did! Below are pictures of the process of making the water beads glow.
Looking Beyond:
When we put the water beads into the water, I noticed that the water beads became invisible because they are clear. After some research, I found out that the water beads looked like they were invisible because the water beads we used were already hydrated and when water beads are fully hydrated, they contain 99% of water. There is a property called a material’s refractive index, which is different materials bend light waves by different amounts when the light waves pass through the material. Since the water beads are mostly water, the water beads have the same refractive index as the water which is why they appear invisible. Once you take them out of the water, they aren't invisible anymore because water and air have different refractive indexes. The water beads glowed because they absorbed the high lighter ink mixed with water. The highlighter ink contains phosphors that react with the UV light to illuminate the water beads. The UV light reacts with the phosphors and the phosphors turn the UV light into visible light.
Looking Inward:
We got the desired results we were looking for. We got the desired results because my partner and I work well with each other. We looked up instructions and followed the instructions very thoroughly. I also think that since the lab was pretty simple, there wasn't much that we could do to actually ruin the lab so that content also contributed to good results.
Looking Outward:
I worked with Ivy in this lab and I think that we always work well together. I have done many labs with Ivy so I know the work ethics the both of us have and I knew from previous labs that we work very well together. We hardly ever get distracted and off task and that helps the both of us because out work normally comes out good. In this lab I believe that I performed pretty good. I was doing one lab and trying to do research for other labs that I would like to do at the same time. While Ivy was doing two labs at once so she was kind of all over the place but I knew that our lab wasn't that complicated so I wasn't putting a lot of stress on her about it. I think this lab could also be a one person lab because the lab had very few and easy steps but it's always fun to work with a friend.
Looking Forward:
There really isn't a way to get better results than the way we did. I wouldn't change anything about this lab because we got the results that we wanted. I would like to work with Ivy again in other labs because I know that we work well together and she is a very close friend. But I would also like to work with new people so I can get to know them better and have fun doing so. I know that I would definitely like to learn and see what other stuff high lighters can make glow.
Takeaways:
I took away that some labs aren't really meant for more than one person, especially if the steps are very simple. I think I need to take that into consideration next time instead of thinking that I just want to work with my friends.
Looking Back:
This experiment definitely worked. The high lighter ink in the water turned the clear beads yellow. Ivy and I tested the beads under a UV light to see if it would glow and it did! Below are pictures of the process of making the water beads glow.
Looking Beyond:
When we put the water beads into the water, I noticed that the water beads became invisible because they are clear. After some research, I found out that the water beads looked like they were invisible because the water beads we used were already hydrated and when water beads are fully hydrated, they contain 99% of water. There is a property called a material’s refractive index, which is different materials bend light waves by different amounts when the light waves pass through the material. Since the water beads are mostly water, the water beads have the same refractive index as the water which is why they appear invisible. Once you take them out of the water, they aren't invisible anymore because water and air have different refractive indexes. The water beads glowed because they absorbed the high lighter ink mixed with water. The highlighter ink contains phosphors that react with the UV light to illuminate the water beads. The UV light reacts with the phosphors and the phosphors turn the UV light into visible light.
Looking Inward:
We got the desired results we were looking for. We got the desired results because my partner and I work well with each other. We looked up instructions and followed the instructions very thoroughly. I also think that since the lab was pretty simple, there wasn't much that we could do to actually ruin the lab so that content also contributed to good results.
Looking Outward:
I worked with Ivy in this lab and I think that we always work well together. I have done many labs with Ivy so I know the work ethics the both of us have and I knew from previous labs that we work very well together. We hardly ever get distracted and off task and that helps the both of us because out work normally comes out good. In this lab I believe that I performed pretty good. I was doing one lab and trying to do research for other labs that I would like to do at the same time. While Ivy was doing two labs at once so she was kind of all over the place but I knew that our lab wasn't that complicated so I wasn't putting a lot of stress on her about it. I think this lab could also be a one person lab because the lab had very few and easy steps but it's always fun to work with a friend.
Looking Forward:
There really isn't a way to get better results than the way we did. I wouldn't change anything about this lab because we got the results that we wanted. I would like to work with Ivy again in other labs because I know that we work well together and she is a very close friend. But I would also like to work with new people so I can get to know them better and have fun doing so. I know that I would definitely like to learn and see what other stuff high lighters can make glow.
Takeaways:
I took away that some labs aren't really meant for more than one person, especially if the steps are very simple. I think I need to take that into consideration next time instead of thinking that I just want to work with my friends.
Erika Leano & Ivy Tran
3/17/15
Period 4 & 5
Glow in the dark Water Beads proposal
Essential Question: What makes the water beads glow?
Sources:
The Process:
3/17/15
Period 4 & 5
Glow in the dark Water Beads proposal
Essential Question: What makes the water beads glow?
Sources:
- http://www.growingajeweledrose.com/2013/01/glowing-rainbow-water-beads.html
- http://www.learnplayimagine.com/2012/02/glow-in-dark-water-beads.html
- http://j-douglas1114-dc.blogspot.com/2013/02/how-to-make-glow-in-dark-water-beads-uv.html
- Inhalation: Skin Contact: Eye Contact: Ingestion:
- Not hazardous by inhalation.
- Wash skin with soap and water.
- Rinse eye with water for at least 15 min. If irritation persists seek medical attention. Seek medical attention.
The Process:
- Break open a yellow highlighter.
- Run water through the inside of the broken pen to get all of the yellow from inside then run the spongy part under the water.
- Soak clear water beads in highlighter water for several hours