by 
The Curious Bag
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Glow sticks are a popular type of Halloween and party toy that emit a faint glowing light for several hours when cracked. Glow sticks emit light through a chemical reaction that produces chemical luminescence.
Function
Glow sticks emit light by creating a chemical reaction between hydrogen peroxide and phenyl oxalate, which excites a dye put in the glow stick.
Design
Glow sticks consist of a large plastic tube with a smaller glass tube contained inside it; when the plastic tube is bent, the glass tube shatters, allowing the chemicals to mix.
Benefits
Glow sticks can produce light without an electrical power source, they are waterproof and they do not generate heat. This can make them useful in emergency situations and under water.
Time Frame
The duration of a glow stick's light emission depends on temperature and the design of the glow stick; brighter sticks used in a hot environment can burn out in a few minutes while lower intensity sticks used in cold environments can last many hours.
Option
Since glow sticks work using a chemical reaction, putting a glow stick in a very cold environment, such as freezer, can slow down the reaction so much that the glow stick can be preserved and heated up several days later to emit light.
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