What is an electric lamp?

Answer 1

The term "electric lamp" is a general one. It refers to a slice of technology that produces light from electricity, and how it does this can vary. The two basic types of lamp are the incandescent type and the fluorescent type. There are other types, like a light emitting diode type, which is solid state kind, and a carbon arc lamp, but we usually use the term for the two common types mentioned. Sometimes we use the term to include the whole fixture. A table lamp might be referred to as an electric lamp in some cases. But as regards the "regular" usage, the lamp will work in one of two ways. In one, a resistive element which will heated by the electric current to the point of incandescence, where it will emit light. The filament gets really hot and glows, and you already know that this describes the incandescent lamp. In the fluorescent lamp, a gas-filled tube it electrified and the gas is ionized with the subsequent emission of light. This is the fluorescent lamp, and many of them are set up with secondary emission characteristics to increase and/or change the spectrum of light emitted. Use the link below to go to the Wikipedia post on the electric lamp. You'll be well informed if you surf on over and skim it.