fluoresce etymology

Etymology and Origin

The word "fluoresce" comes from the Latin "fluere," meaning "to flow." It was first used in the context of chemistry by the British physicist Sir George Stokes in 1852. Stokes noticed that some materials emitted a "fluorescent light" when exposed to sunlight or other sources of light.

Meaning

Fluoresce (verb): to emit light or appear bright with fluorescence.

Fluorescence is a process in which a substance absorbs light at one wavelength and emits light at a longer wavelength, usually in the visible spectrum. The light emitted during fluorescence is typically of a different color than the light absorbed.

How Fluorescence Works

Fluorescence occurs when a material absorbs energy in the form of light and becomes excited. When the material relaxes back to its ground state, it emits the absorbed energy as a photon of light at a longer wavelength. The difference in wavelength between the absorbed and emitted light is called the Stokes shift.

Examples of Fluorescence

Fluorescent materials are used in many applications, including:

• Highlighters: The ink in highlighters contains fluorescent dyes that absorb ultraviolet light and emit visible light, making the highlighted text easy to see under normal lighting conditions.
• Fluorescent lights: Fluorescent lamps contain a fluorescent coating that absorbs ultraviolet light from the lamp's mercury vapor and emits visible light.
• Laser pointers: Laser pointers use fluorescent materials to convert invisible laser light into visible light.
• Medical imaging: Fluorescent dyes are used to label cells and tissues, making them visible under fluorescence microscopy.

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