Will-o'-the-wisp

High school (ages 12+)
Philosophy & Big Questions

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/will-o-the-wisp

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Ignis fatuus
2. Why do will-o'-the-wisps look like they are moving?The light flickers because gases from decaying plants are released in bursts and air currents change the glow.
3. Are will-o'-the-wisps real or just stories?They are real natural lights caused by gases that can ignite, not supernatural ghosts.

Ignis fatuus: Latin term for 'foolish flame', the scientific designation for will-o'-the-wisp phenomena.
Chemiluminescence: The emission of light as a result of a chemical reaction, such as the oxidation of gases.
Anaerobic Decomposition: The breakdown of organic matter in the absence of oxygen, common in waterlogged environments.
Pyrophoric: A substance that ignites spontaneously in air.