Final answer:
Phosphors are fluorescent materials that emit light when they absorb certain electromagnetic wavelengths.
Step-by-step explanation:
Fluorescent materials that emit light when they absorb certain electromagnetic wavelengths are known as phosphors. These materials absorb high-energy wavelengths, such as ultraviolet or blue light, and then emit lower-energy photons of a different color. This phenomenon occurs because the absorbed energy causes electrons to jump to higher energy states and then fall back down, emitting specific amounts of energy as photons.