Fluorescent light bulbs work by passing an electric current through a gas containing mercury vapor, which produces ultraviolet (UV) light. This UV light then excites a phosphor coating on the inside of the bulb, causing it to emit visible light.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
- Electric Current: The process begins when an electric current flows through the fluorescent tube.
- Argon and Mercury Vapor: The tube is filled with a mixture of argon gas and a small amount of mercury vapor.
- UV Light Generation: The electric current energizes the mercury atoms in the gas, causing them to release energy in the form of ultraviolet (UV) light. This UV light is invisible to the human eye.
- Phosphor Coating: The inside of the glass tube is coated with a material called phosphor. Different phosphors are used to create different colors of light.
- Visible Light Emission: The UV light produced by the mercury atoms strikes the phosphor coating. The phosphor absorbs the UV light and then re-emits the energy as visible light. This is the light we see.
Essentially, fluorescent bulbs use an invisible light source (UV light) to trigger the emission of visible light from a special coating inside the bulb. This process is much more efficient than incandescent bulbs, which produce light by heating a filament until it glows.
