Fluorescent lights produce white light by using a fluorescent coating inside the glass tube to convert ultraviolet (UV) light, which is invisible to the human eye, into visible light.
Here's a breakdown of the process:
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Electricity excites mercury vapor: Inside the fluorescent tube is a small amount of mercury vapor. When electricity passes through the tube, it excites the mercury atoms.
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Mercury atoms emit ultraviolet (UV) light: These excited mercury atoms then release energy in the form of ultraviolet (UV) light.
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Phosphor coating converts UV to visible light: The inside of the glass tube is coated with a mixture of fluorescent materials, also known as phosphors. These phosphors absorb the UV light emitted by the mercury and then re-emit the energy as visible light.
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Different phosphors create different colors of light: Different types of phosphors are used to produce different colors of visible light. A mixture of phosphors is used to create white light, which is a combination of different colors of the visible spectrum.
In essence, fluorescent lights use a two-step process: electricity creates UV light, and then a phosphor coating converts that UV light into the visible light we see as "white."
