chemiluminescence

American  

[kem-uh-loo-muh-nes-uhns] / ˌkɛm əˌlu məˈnɛs əns /

noun

1. (in chemical reactions) the emission of light by an atom or molecule that is in an excited state.

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chemiluminescence British  

/ ˌkɛmɪˌluːmɪˈnɛsəns /

noun

1. the phenomenon in which a chemical reaction leads to the emission of light without incandescence

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chemiluminescence Scientific  

/ kĕm′ə-lo̅o̅′mə-nĕs′əns /

1. The emission of light by a substance as a result of undergoing a chemical reaction that does not involve an increase in its temperature. Chemiluminescence usually occurs when a highly oxidized molecule, such as a peroxide, reacts with another molecule. The bond between the two oxygen atoms in a peroxide is relatively weak, and when it breaks the atoms must reorganize themselves, releasing energy in the form of light.

2. Compare bioluminescence

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• chemiluminescent
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of chemiluminescence

First recorded in 1900–05; chemi- + luminescence