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Home > Iowa Academy of Science > Journals & Newsletters > Iowa Science Teachers Journal > Volume 19 > Number 1 (1982)

 

    Document Type

    Article

    Abstract

    About thirty years ago it was discovered that crunching on mint Lifesavers will produce green sparks and a crackling noise. Peppermint Lifesavers will produce similar results. According to Lifesavers, Inc. of New York, the mint Lifesavers contain sugar and methyl salicylate (a component of the mint flavoring). When these two compounds are crunched together, a crystalline energy is produced which stimulates the methyl salicylate to emit light. The process is known as triboluminescence.

    Publication Date

    April 1982

    Journal Title

    Iowa Science Teachers Journal

    Volume

    19

    Issue

    1

    First Page

    30

    Last Page

    30

    Copyright

    © Copyright 1982 by the Iowa Academy of Science

    Language

    en

    File Format

    application/pdf

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