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What is the difference between fluorescence and phosphorescence(short question)
Accepted Answer
Fluorescence and phosphorescence are both forms of luminescence where a substance absorbs light and emits it at a longer wavelength. The key difference lies in the excited state involved:
Fluorescence: The excited state is a singlet state, meaning all electron spins are paired. Emission occurs quickly, typically within nanoseconds.
Phosphorescence: The excited state is a triplet state, meaning one electron spin is unpaired. Emission occurs slowly, over milliseconds to even hours. This delay is due to the forbidden transition from triplet to singlet state.
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