Mushrooms!! šš My kids love to go outside and find mushrooms. We always say that it's like a scavenger hunt created by nature. We talked about how important mushrooms are for the environment and why we need to protect them. We decided to use the magic of glowing mushrooms to talk about ultraviolet light. This is a very easy project that kids love because of the glowing visual effects. It's great craft to promote creativity, curiosity and imagination while also learning about science! šš
DIFFICULTY
Easy
MATERIALS
Cardboard Box (a show box works fine)
Black Marker
Glue
INSTRUCTIONS
Draw your kids favorite mushroom with a blackmarket on a piece of cardboard.
Paint each mushroom with the blacklight paint.
Wait for them to dry.
Cut out each mushroom so you can glue the bottom to the box.
Go to a dark room and turn on the blacklight to see them glow!
Have fun! :)
THE SCIENCE
Ultraviolet (UV) light is a type of electromagnetic radiation that has a shorter wavelength and higher energy than visible light. UV light is present in sunlight, but most of it is absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere before it reaches the surface. However, certain types of artificial light sources, such as blacklights, emit UV light.
Some mushrooms contain compounds called mycillium that can absorb UV light and emit visible light in return. This phenomenon is known as bioluminescence, and it occurs because the energy from the absorbed UV light excites the molecules in the mushroom, causing them to emit light. Bioluminescence is a form of chemiluminescence, which is the emission of light from a chemical reaction.
Scientists believe that bioluminescence in mushrooms may have evolved as a way to attract insects or other animals that can help disperse the mushroom spores. The glowing mushrooms may be more noticeable to insects at night, when it's dark outside, and the insects may be more likely to land on them and spread their spores.
In summary, ultraviolet light is a type of electromagnetic radiation that has a shorter wavelength and higher energy than visible light. Some mushrooms glow in the dark because they contain compounds that can absorb UV light and emit visible light in return, a phenomenon known as bioluminescence. This may have evolved as a way to attract insects or other animals that can help disperse the mushroom spores.
SAFETY
Adult supervision required for any of these activities. Please supervise and make sure children participating are safe. Read instructions and the safety labels from each material.
DISCLAMER
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