how does the fluorescent light bulb work

(To learn how LEDs work, check out this blog post.They have 2 light fixtures in their bathroom. What questions do you have about fluorescent lights? Please share them in the comments section! If you keep the voltage constantly high, the lamp can burn out, so it helps to have a ballast regulate this. Charged particles multiply, and the current can climb on its own gas discharge. As the lamp continues to operate, its electrical resistance decreases.

To turn on, the lamps need a certain current. Sometimes this component is built into the light bulb itself, and other times it’s a separate piece you have to use in junction with the lamp.Ī ballast is an electrical device used to supply the right voltage to start a fluorescent lamp, and limit it during operation.įluorescent lights need ballasts because their gas components conduct electricity to operate. One final note about fluorescent light bulbs:Īll fluorescent light bulbs need a ballast to function. When the electron falls back to its normal level, it releases energy as a visible photon – the light you see. This happens when a UV photon collides with a phosphor atom, bumping one of the phosphor electrons to a higher energy level, and heating up the atom. The phosphor coating converts UV light into visible light. This causes the mercury to emit UV photons, or UV light, invisible to the human eye.ģ. The electrons excite the mercury vapor in the tube, bumping the atoms’ electrons to higher levels. Electrons pass back and forth in the tube.Ģ. When you turn on the lamp, electrical current flows through the electrodes.

Pretty simple, right? Now let’s look at how these elements work together to make light:ġ.

A glass envelope with a white phosphor coating on the inside.

Electrodes, wired to an electrical circuit.

Though the various kinds of fluorescent light bulbs look very different, the way they function is fundamentally the same.įluorescent light bulbs contain the following: In this post we’re covering fluorescent light bulbs…įluorescent light bulbs come in a range of shapes and sizes like linear, circline, and the ever-popular swirl of the compact fluorescent. If you’ve ever tried researching this information, you know it can get overwhelming and complicated. This information can help you when you’re choosing lights for a new lighting project or maintaining the lights you already have. We’re diving deep to teach you how different light sources produce light.

How does the fluorescent light bulb work