fluorescence

noun

fluo·res·cence flu̇-ˈre-sᵊn(t)s

flȯ-

: luminescence that is caused by the absorption of radiation at one wavelength followed by nearly immediate reradiation usually at a different wavelength and that ceases almost at once when the incident radiation stops

also : the radiation emitted compare phosphorescence

Examples of fluorescence in a Sentence

studied the fluorescence of certain elements

Recent Examples on the Web Closer inspection with X-ray fluorescence and a scanning electron microscope showed that the dirt was full of iron oxide and microscopic fragments of hematite. —

Kiona N. Smith, Ars Technica, 3 Mar. 2022 Dull mirrors and drab metal stalls passed sickly fluorescence between them. —

Michael W. Clune, Harper's Magazine, 7 Apr. 2023 When Nakamura repeated the experiment with an enhancer from a shark, the fin growth was unaffected and the fluorescence was limited to the posterior. —

Viviane Callier, Quanta Magazine, 30 May 2023 That green fluorescence allowed the team to visually track the changes in calcium concentrations in response to stimulating the plant's sensitive hairs with a needle. —

Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 27 Jan. 2023 To discover the hidden pooch, conservators used a non-destructive analytical technique known as X-ray fluorescence to draw out the elemental composition of materials in the painting. —

Escher Walcott, Peoplemag, 17 May 2023 Conservators were able to generate an image of what the dog originally looked like using X-ray fluorescence, an imaging technique that maps out the chemical elements in a painting, including pigments, according to the Guggenheim’s senior paintings conservator, Julie Barten. —

Lianne Kolirin, CNN, 16 May 2023 This becomes a kind of benchmark and any movement away from this location causes the fluorescence to diminish. —

The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 30 June 2021 But more recently, scientists were able to use X-ray fluorescence and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to study the blotch at the atomic level and determine its chemical makeup. —

Livia Gershon, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Dec. 2020 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fluorescence.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.