CHEMISTRY 112 – Experiment 3
Introduction to Spectroscopy: Emission of Light
Pre-lab Questions (12 pts) - must be typed and submitted on Canvas after
... [Show More] taking safety quiz
Our chemical system of interest in lab this week will be light emission from different types of materials.
Consider your own understanding of what is occurring at the molecular‐level that causes a firework to
exhibit a characteristic color. Do not look up any information to write this initial explanation. The ideas
that you provide will not be judged on their scientific correctness (unless specified in the question). Your
score will be based on completeness and how well you follow the directions for what to include in the
assignment as outlined below. In your assignment:
1. Describe what you think is occurring at the macroscopic level when a firework goes off. In your
description, include all aspects of what you expect to see, hear, feel, and smell.
2. Consider what is happening at the molecular‐level when a firework goes off.
a. Describe what you think the molecules, atoms, and/or ions are doing within the firework at
the molecular‐level when it goes off. You should be as detailed as possible in your description
about what is happening throughout the ignition and burning processes of the firework. Do
not look up or copy someone else’s ideas about how a firework works – this response should
be your own original explanation (copying something from an outside resource would be
academic misconduct).
b. Sketch a molecular‐level drawing that accompanies your explanation. The drawing can be
anything you choose but it must support and align with the written explanation you gave in
part (a). Take a picture of your sketch and insert it into your assignment submission.
3. Describe why the light emitted from a firework is a certain color or combination of colors. Relate this
explanation back to your molecular‐level explanation of the particles that you described in question
#2, showing how your molecular‐level explanation supports the variability of colors.
4. In nature, bioluminescence is the emission of light by living organisms. Bioluminescence is common
among marine organisms such as jellyfish and plankton, but it can also be exhibited by non‐marine
animals such as fireflies and glowworms. Read about the chemistry of bioluminescence at the
following peer‐reviewed and reliable website: http://biolum.eemb.ucsb.edu/. Select the ‘Chemistry’
link on the left panel to access the chemistry of bioluminescence page:
http://biolum.eemb.ucsb.edu/chem/
Use information from the website to accurately answer the questions below:
a. What is the generic name of the light‐emitting chemical substance in bioluminescence?
b. In your own words, summarize the difference between the molecular‐level process of
bioluminescence and the molecular‐level process by which fluorescence produces light. [Show Less]