system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: What is actually happening when you "charge" something that is glow in the dark?
gpt
The chemical bonds in the glowing component can temporarily store energy and then release it at a constant rate. When "charging" it, you're exposing the chemical to ultra violet light (or any wavelength of light i guess it depends), the photons excite the molecules and energy is stored. The energy is then released as the molecules go back to their typical energy state. This released energy takes the form of light.