To emit light when exposed to radiation or energy, creating a bright glow that stops when the light source is removed.
From Latin 'fluorspar' (a mineral) combined with the suffix '-esce' (meaning 'to begin to be'). The term was coined in the 1850s when scientists noticed fluorite minerals glowing under ultraviolet light.
Fluorescence is how highlighter pens glow under blacklight—the ink absorbs invisible ultraviolet light and converts it into visible light you can see. This same principle helps doctors detect cancer and keeps those glow-stick toys glowing at parties!
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