A circuit in a home provides power to a light fixture. The homeowners want to use a compact fluorescent bulb instead of an incandescent bulb. Compact fluorescent bulbs can produce as much light as incandescent bulbs but with less energy. How is this possible?(1 point)
This is possible due to the difference in technology between compact fluorescent bulbs and incandescent bulbs. Here is how it works:
1. Incandescent bulbs: These bulbs work by passing electrical current through a filament, which heats up and produces light as a result of the filament's high temperature. However, a significant amount of energy is lost as heat rather than producing light, making incandescent bulbs less energy-efficient.
2. Compact fluorescent bulbs: These bulbs use a different technology called fluorescence. Inside a compact fluorescent bulb, there is a gas-filled tube coated with phosphor. When an electric current flows through the tube, it excites the gas molecules and produces ultraviolet (UV) light. The UV light then strikes the phosphor coating, causing it to emit visible light. As a result, compact fluorescent bulbs can produce the same amount of light as incandescent bulbs while using less electrical energy.
In summary, the energy efficiency of compact fluorescent bulbs is higher because they transform electrical energy into visible light more efficiently, compared to the energy lost as heat in incandescent bulbs.
This is possible because compact fluorescent bulbs use a different technology compared to incandescent bulbs. Incandescent bulbs work by passing electricity through a tungsten filament, which heats up and emits light. However, a significant portion of the energy is wasted as heat.
On the other hand, compact fluorescent bulbs use a different method called fluorescence. Inside the bulb, there is a small amount of mercury vapor, and when electricity passes through the bulb, it excites the mercury atoms, causing them to emit ultraviolet light. The ultraviolet light then strikes a phosphor coating on the inside of the bulb, causing it to fluoresce and emit visible light.
This process is much more efficient than incandescent bulbs because less energy is wasted as heat. Compact fluorescent bulbs can produce the same amount of light as incandescent bulbs but with a lower energy input. As a result, they are able to provide the same lighting level while consuming less electrical power, making them more energy-efficient.