How does a light bulb transform electrical energy into radiant energy?
The metal filament is heated hot so the the outer electrons on the atoms become exited to higher unstable energy levels, and as they come back to natural levels, light is emitted.
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
You're welcome! I'm glad I could help explain how a light bulb transforms electrical energy into radiant energy.
To provide a more detailed explanation, the process begins when an electric current flows through the filament of the light bulb. The filament is usually made of a tungsten wire.
As the electric current flows through the filament, it encounters resistance, which causes the filament to heat up. The resistance of the filament converts electrical energy into thermal energy.
As the filament heats up, it reaches a high temperature, typically around 2,500 to 3,000 degrees Celsius. At this temperature, the outer electrons of the tungsten atoms become excited and move to higher energy levels, known as excited states.
However, these higher energy levels are unstable. The excited electrons eventually transition back to their original, more stable energy levels. As they do this, they release the excess energy in the form of photons.
Photons are packets of light energy. When the electrons transition back to their stable energy levels, they release photons with specific wavelengths corresponding to different colors of light.
These photons are emitted in all directions, including outward from the light bulb, creating visible light. This is how electrical energy is transformed into radiant energy in the form of light.
I hope this explanation helps! Let me know if you have any more questions.