Glowing in the Dark

question 128

Multiple Choice

Glowing in the Dark
Have you ever wondered how glow-in-the-dark things actually glow in the dark? Most glow-in-the-dark items glow because of something called phosphorescence or photoluminescence. Phosphorescent items must be "charged" under a bright light before they actually glow in the dark. This charging process works because of a substance called phosphor.
When light from the sun or a lamp hits phosphor, the phosphor molecules absorb the light and become energized. As the phosphor molecules release the stored energy, they emit a dim light that is visible in the dark. The color of the light that they produce depends on the color of the dye added to the glow-in-the-dark item. Usually, green dye is added to the phosphors to make the light easier to see. Although any color can be used, the human eye sees green light most clearly in the dark.
There are also a few glow-in-the-dark items that do not need to be charged. Emergency exit signs, gun sights, and certain kinds of expensive wristwatches glow because of radioluminescence. In these items, the phosphor is mixed with a radioactive element called tritium. The radiation from the tritium provides energy to the phosphor. It is almost as if there are thousands of tiny lamps constantly shining on the phosphor. Because their phosphor is always energized, these radioluminescent items are always glowing.
One other kind of glow-in-the-dark item that does not require charging is the glow stick. Glow sticks do not need to be held under light and do not contain any radioactive elements. Instead, glow sticks glow using chemiluminescence. Glow sticks contain a fluorescent dye and a thin glass tube that contains a chemical. To activate a glow stick, you bend the plastic container, causing the glass to break. The chemical inside the glass then mixes with the dye. The combination of the chemical and the dye produces visible light.
Question: What is the main idea of the passage?

• A)Objects that glow in the dark require a radioactive element called tritium in order shed visible light.
• B)There are a number of types of photoluminescence, which is a phenomenon that produces visible light in various substances.
• C)In order for them to glow with visible light, phosphorescent items require the sun's energy to charge them.
• D)When light hits a substance called phosphor, it becomes energized and begins to glow.

Analyze the role and function of group norms within social and organizational settings.

Understand the factors that can increase or decrease group conformity.

Comprehend the methodology and findings of seminal conformity studies including Asch's line study and Sherif's autokinetic effect study.

Identify the types of social influence demonstrated in classic conformity studies.

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Definitions:

Framing Effect

A cognitive bias where people react differently based on the way information is presented to them, particularly in decisio-making scenarios.

Category Hierarchies

Organizational systems that classify groups or objects into ranked categories based on shared characteristics or importance.

Representativeness Heuristic

A cognitive shortcut where the likelihood of an object belonging to a category is assessed based on how typical the object seems of the category.

Confirmation Bias

The inclination to seek out, comprehend, prioritize, and recall facts in a manner that corroborates one's established beliefs or conjectures.