Green liquid that glows when electrocuted in 39 Clues

[Kalaton]

Upon reading a book titled The 39 Clues, one of the main characters finds a vial of green liquid and holds it out into a thunderstorm to be struck by lightning to "charge" it. Once it's struck, it is now glowing, appearing as almost pure light and not even warm to the touch.

I understand this could simply be a work of fiction, but this book series tends to try to keep things as realistic as possible (with a few obvious exceptions), and the author (Rick Riordan) is very skilled and detailed with his writing, so having this random completely made up item seemed to be very out of place, and I've always been curious as to what it was. As far as I can remember it isn't mentioned again.

The whole book was centered around Benjamin franklin, and at the end of the book (the same time we see this vial) the "clue" they are looking for is Iron Solute, but for a few reasons I highly doubt that was the contents of the vial (iron isn't green, and I don't see how it could glow like that just from a jolt of electricity). Just looking to see if something like this actually exists, cause it's something I've pondered ever since I was a kid.

 

[jedishrfu]

I think you can safely assume its a fictional liquid with magical properties that help to propel the story forward rather like a macguffin in Hitchcock movies:

https://39clues.fandom.com/wiki/Serum_Formula

https://39clues.fandom.com/wiki/Master_Serum

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacGuffin

 

[Borek]

To add to what @jedishrfu already wrote - there are compounds that glow green (look for example for fluorescein) and processes that produce a bit similar effects (google for photoluminescence, phosphorescence, luminescence).

Which still doesn't make the liquid in question a real thing

 

[Melbourne Guy]

The 39 Clues

I think there were a few authors in this series, @Kalaton, not just Rick (though he did write the first one), and they were intended for younger readers. That aside, the liquid, 'iron solute' is an anagram for the word 'resolution', which I think was more the point than scientific accuracy.

But potentially, boron might be a candidate for this. Amorphous boron is used to make flares burn green, though I don't know enough chemistry, it might not work so well when electrified?

 

[Borek]

But potentially, boron might be a candidate for this. Amorphous boron is used to make flares burn green, though I don't know enough chemistry, it might not work so well when electrified?

Sorry, not even wrong. It is about as accurate as saying '1 is a good candidate for approximating ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter as it is the second digit in a decimal representation of π'.

 

[hutchphd]

Such a fluid is not impossible, however, within the constraints of energy conservation. Anyone who has had the extraordinary experience of night diving or paddling can attest to the pressure sensitve bioluminescence of some algae (particularly during red tide). How unexpected is that ?

 

[Melbourne Guy]

Sorry, not even wrong.

I don't mind being wrong, @Borek, especially in this case when I thought I might be, but the sarcasm is unnecessary. What aspect of my idea doesn't work, just so I know?

 

[Melbourne Guy]

Such a fluid is not impossible, however, within the constraints of energy conservation. Anyone who has had the extraordinary experience of night diving or paddling can attest to the pressure sensitve bioluminescence of some algae (particularly during red tide). How unexpected is that ?

I heard about this recently on a podcast, @hutchphd, it is unexpected...and visible from space!

 

[Borek]

What aspect of my idea doesn't work, just so I know?

Yes, boron compounds - when excited in flame in high temperatures - do emit green light. No liquid will survive temperatures high enough, and the question clearly states "not even warm to the touch". You are confusing unrelated processes occurring in conditions unrelated to the question, linked only by a single, shared, random property.

Sorry for being caustic but it is about as off, as it can be.

 

[Rive]

...the author (Rick Riordan) is very skilled and detailed with his writing, so having this random completely made up item seemed to be very out of place...

I wonder if it's the same guy Based on what I read from him (not much: I've bounced back pretty fast every time - that careless young adult stuff is just not my thing), making up some random impossibrium to move things forward is exactly the thing he would do.

 

[Melbourne Guy]

Yes, boron compounds - when excited in flame in high temperatures - do emit green light. No liquid will survive temperatures high enough, and the question clearly states "not even warm to the touch". You are confusing unrelated processes occurring in conditions unrelated to the question, linked only by a single, shared, random property.

Sorry for being caustic but it is about as off, as it can be.

Thanks @Borek, I had a strong inkling that I was headed in the wrong direction because obviously flares burn, they're not electrically activated (that I know of!) but it was the only element I could think of that gave off a green light, so appreciate your articulate correction

 

[DaveC426913]

Isn't it more likely that the vial is meant to contain Krypton gas - which glows green when excited - and that the only real fictionalization of the author is the "liquid" aspect?

 

[DaveC426913]

_{...but I wasn't joking...}

 

[hutchphd]

 

[Melbourne Guy]

I liked the paint job that changed when splashed with water, @hutchphd, that's unexpected

 

[BillTre]

holds it out into a thunderstorm to be struck by lightning to "charge" it. Once it's struck, it is now glowing, appearing as almost pure light and not even warm to the touch.

This is a fictional idea, not something real.
There are lots of things that can glow green when in some way activated by chemicals, electricity, of by photons.
None of these can sustained unlimited glowing without energy inputs. The light emitted as a glow will be an energy drain. Once emitted in the photons of the glow, the energy will have to be restored.
Any single zap of energy will eventually be drained and have to be restored for glowing to continue.