The phenomenon where a material glows or emits light when exposed to ultraviolet radiation or other energy, but stops glowing immediately when the energy source is removed.
From 'fluorspar' (the mineral fluorite) plus the suffix '-escence' (meaning 'the quality or state of'). Coined in the 1850s when this glowing property was discovered.
Fluorescence is fundamentally different from phosphorescence—glow-in-the-dark toys that keep glowing after you turn off the light use phosphorescence, while highlighters use fluorescence. Your tooth enamel naturally fluoresces blue under ultraviolet light at the dentist!
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