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You are here: Home / Science / How do glow sticks work and what chemicals do they contain?

How do glow sticks work and what chemicals do they contain?

May 3, 2020 by Karen Hill

The chemical process used in a glow stick is not that far from the chemical process that occurs inside a lightning bug.

When you open the glow stick package, you find a stick with yellow liquid inside (generally, a chemical called luciferin).

Inside the yellow liquid is a glass tube that contains a chemical enzyme (generally, luciferase). When you break the glass tube by bending the stick, per the directions, the two chemicals mix, creating a lot of energy and giving you a good glow.

A lightning bug creates a glow in the same way—mixing the two chemical enzymes luciferin and luciferase.

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Filed Under: Science

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

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