Luminescence

Luminescence is light not generated by high temperatures alone.

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It is different from incandescence, so it usually occurs at low temperatures. Examples: fluorescence, bioluminescence and phosphorescence.

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Luminescence can be caused by chemical or biochemical changes, electrical energy, subatomic motions, reactions in crystals, or stimulation of an atomic system.

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The following kinds of luminescence are known to exist:

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• Bioluminescence
• Chemoluminescence
• Crystalloluminescence
• Electroluminescence
• Cathodoluminescence
• Photoluminescence
• Phosphorescence
• Fluorescence
• Radioluminescence
• Sonoluminescence
• Thermoluminescence
• Triboluminescence

Historically, radioactivity was first thought of as a form of "radioluminescence", although it is today considered to be separate since it involves more than electromagnetic radiation.

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