Light bulbs are everywhere. There’s usually at least one in most rooms. That adds up to a lot of light bulbs in just one house. Light bulbs use electricity, which is bad for the environment because it is created from burning fossil fuels. This creates greenhouse gases, which lead to global warming. You can read more about how this works in this post. With all those light bulbs, people are using a lot of electricity. So now engineers have made new light bulbs that use less electricity. Electricity costs money, so these new types of light bulbs save you money too! This post will show you how to pick a new light bulb that works best for you.
INCANDESCENT LIGHT BULBS
Incandescent light bulbs are the traditional light bulbs that are not energy efficient (that means they don’t save energy). They haven’t changed very much since Thomas Edison invented them. When you touch a light bulb, they are hot. That is because 90% of the electricity the light bulbs uses becomes heat. That means only 10% of the electricity is used to create light. That is a lot of wasted energy, which means wasted money for your parents too. The light bulb works by sending electricity through a wire (made of tungsten) in the bulb. This heats the wire to such a high temperature that it glows. By using the electricity to create heat instead of light, incandescent bulbs waste a lot of energy.
HALOGEN LIGHT BULBS
Halogen light bulbs, also called energy-saving incandescent bulbs, work similarly to the previous incandescent bulbs. They also create light through heating a tungsten wire, but there is also a halogen gas in the bulb. This gas makes the wire last longer and makes the light brighter. They usually save about 25% more energy than traditional incandescent light bulbs and can last up to three times longer.
CFL LIGHT BULBS
CFL (which stands for “Compact Flourescent Lamp”) light bulbs were created to replace incandescent light bulbs. They typically save about 75% more energy than an incandescent bulb. They are more expensive, but they save so much energy that they can pay for themselves in about 9 months with the money you save. They also last about 10 times longer as well, so you don’t need to buy them as often. They are made of coated tubes filled with gas. Electricity passes through the gas, causing the coating on the tubes to glow. These light bulbs come in various shapes and sizes to fit your lamp. You can also buy them with a cover so they look more like incandescent lights.
LED LIGHT BULBS
LED (which stands for “Light Emitting Diode”) light bulbs are the newest replacement light bulbs for homes. They were originally used in televisions and traffic lights. LED bulbs create light through something called a semiconductor. It creates an electrical current, which then creates light. They save the most energy, but are also the most expensive light bulbs. They save about 75% or more electricity than an incandescent bulb. They also last about 25 times longer, which is even much longer than a CFL bulb lasts. Because they last so long, they eventually pay for themselves too. Since their use in homes is relatively new, engineers are still developing them to suit our needs. In years to come, they will probably become cheaper and will become the best option for light bulbs.
Information From:
http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/lighting-choices-save-you-money
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