Why does aqeous fluorescein shine when exposed to UV light? I know that (aq) fluorescein "absorbs" UV light and releases light in the visible spectrum , but how does it do that. It is a really interesting and useful organic chemical and I just wanted to know what goes on in it so that it lights up.
The process is called fluorescence. Some substances, such as calcium sulfide, $\ce{CaS}$, absorb light and release it slowly in a process called phosphorescence, glowing for some time after the source of light is removed.