Yes, a fluorescent bulb is filled with a small amount of Mercury vapor and a rare gas (such as argon) at low pressure. When electrical current passes through the gas, it produces ultraviolet light, which then excites the phosphor coating inside the bulb to produce visible light.
Gas under high pressure
A 250 watt high pressure sodium bulb typically has a lumen output of around 28,000 to 30,000 lumens.
A fluorescent bulb uses a completely different method to produce light. There are electrodes at both ends of a fluorescent tube, and a gas containing argon and mercury vapor is inside the tube. A stream of electrons flows through the gas from one electrode to the other (in a manner similar to the stream of electrons in a cathode ray tube). These electrons bump into the mercury atoms and excite them. As the mercury atoms move from the excited state back to the unexcited state, they give off ultraviolet photons. These photons hit the phosphor coating the inside of the fluorescent tube, and this phosphor creates visible light. It sounds complicated, so lets go through it again in slow motion:There is a stream of electrons flowing between the electrodes at both ends of the fluorescent bulb.The electrons interact with mercury vapor atoms floating inside the bulb.The mercury atoms become excited, and when they return to an unexcited state they release photons of light in the ultraviolet region of the spectrum.These ultraviolet photons collide with the phosphor coating the inside of the bulb, and the phosphor creates visible light.The phosphor fluoresces to produce light.A fluorescent bulb produces less heat, so it is much more efficient. A fluorescent bulb can produce between 50 and 100 lumens per watt. This makes fluorescent bulbs four to six times more efficient than incandescent bulbs. That's why you can buy a 15-watt fluorescent bulb that produces the same amount of light as a 60-watt incandescent bulb.
Yes, keeping a compact fluorescent bulb at maximum brightness on a dimmer switch can damage the bulb. Compact fluorescent bulbs are not designed to be used with dimmer switches and can overheat and fail prematurely if used in this way. It is recommended to use dimmable LED bulbs with dimmer switches instead.
Low pressure gas discharge is typically achieved by enclosing gas in a container at low pressure and then applying a high voltage across the electrodes inside the container. This high voltage causes the gas to become ionized, creating a glowing discharge. Examples include fluorescent lights and neon signs.
No, just an inert gas and mercury vapor at close to atmospheric pressure. Without the inert gas it would be near vacuum, as very little mercury is needed.
Incandescent Lamps Light Emitting Diode Neon Lamps Fluorescent Tubes Compact Fluorescent Lamps Halogen Lamps Metal Halide Lamps High Intensity Discharge Lamps Low Pressure Sodium Lamps High Pressure Sodium Lamps
No, you can not use a 150 watt high pressure sodium bulb with a 70 watt ballast.
The 400W high pressure Sodium bulb contains a silver lining inside the frame to give better reflection of light. However, no silver is found inside the bulb.
Gas under high pressure
All high-intensity discharge (HID) bulbs, and all fluorescent bulbs, require a ballast, which is a device that limits current. It can raise the voltage and/or heat the bulb cathodes.
High vapor pressure
The bulb should be in the red end of the light spectrum. One HID lamp is the high pressure sodium lamp.
Yes. You have to be sure that the prescription is filled EXACTLY.
The abbreviations are CFL - Compact Fluorescent Lamp, MHL - Metal Halide Lamp, HPMV - High Pressure Mercury Vapor, and one more is HPS - High Pressure Sodium lamp
The starter will send a delayed high voltage electricity to the gas within the fluorescent bulb that cause the gas to be ionized and conduct electricity.
No high pressure lbs require a specific ballasts to operate the bulb correctly