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phosphorescence
Sign in to savethumb|Phosphorescent bird figure thumb|Phosphorescent, europium-doped, [[strontium silicate-aluminate oxide powder under visible light, fluorescing/phosphorescing under long-wave UV light, and persistently phosphorescing in total darkness]]
Phosphorescence is a phenomenon where certain materials glow in the dark after being exposed to light, because they absorb and slowly release light energy over time. This property is useful for creating glow-in-the-dark products like safety signs and decorative items, and can be enhanced by adding special elements like europium to materials such as strontium silicate-aluminate oxide.
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Article
12 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- Introduction
- Triplet phosphorescence
- Equation
- Persistent phosphorescence
- Chemiluminescence
- Materials
- Uses
- Shadow wall
- See also
- References
- External links
thumb|Phosphorescent bird figure thumb|Phosphorescent, europium-doped, [[strontium silicate-aluminate oxide powder under visible light, fluorescing/phosphorescing under long-wave UV light, and persistently phosphorescing in total darkness]]
Phosphorescence is a type of photoluminescence related to fluorescence. When exposed to light (radiation) of a shorter threshold wavelength, a phosphorescent substance will glow, absorbing the light and reemitting it at a longer wavelength. Unlike fluorescence, a phosphorescent material does not immediately reemit the radiation it absorbs. Instead, a phosphorescent material absorbs some of the radiation energy and reemits it for a much longer time after the radiation source is removed.