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Who needs glow sticks when you have water, right? I found this cool little experiment of making fluorescent water, and my mind instantly went into overdrive contemplating how I can make use of this interesting fun fact. Well, first and foremost, if you have kids, they’ll definitely love this experiment! It’ll be a great way to blow their little minds, especially since it’s so quick and easy to do. And once you’ve glow-ified your water, you can store it in a bottle and, unlike glow sticks, it won’t fade.
Video Instructions
All you need to do is take a non-toxic highlighter and cut it open to remove the ink-soaked felt inside. Slice that tube open to release the ink, and then just soak it in water for a while, or squeeze the ink out if you want it to go quicker. Then you just need to put a UV light (black light) on it and it’ll light right up!
Although the highlighters are described as non-toxic, and despite what the video says, I definitely wouldn’t recommend drinking this.
If you want someone’s actual beverage to light up, which they can still drink safely, just pour them a glass of tonic water and bring that to the UV light. The tonic water will light up on its own! Although the bright blue glow may make it look radioactive, we all know that tonic water is safe to drink. Tonic water contains a chemical called quinine that comes from the bark of a specific tree; this naturally occurring chemical has actually been used to treat malaria for centuries even though there is such a small amount of the bitter-tasting quinine dissolved into the water, when under a UV light, it emits a fluorescent glow all on its own.
Pretty cool, huh?
lIsa
Use tonic water with quinine and it will do the same thing yet it is safe to drink.
meg
ya, but if its not under blacklight will it still glow? whats the point if you cant use it w/out the blacklight?
Amani
Wow your really really good!!!???
Fadimatu abubakar
Wow I love this
Dakota
that is amazing I so have to try it
Anchal
I think you should also mention what is the science in it as i have a school project to do so please do it and one more thing dont take it negatively it is just a request and the experiment was superb ✌✌?????
Evelyn
How would you tell if the tonic water is tonic water from a blue highlighter?
Anonymous
cool is it a chemical change?
landen
yes!
Anonymous
can you use it with out a black light you should also show the science init