how does the fluorescent light bulb work

Always consult your local waste management agency for advice on what to do with burned-out fluorescent bulbs.

This makes fluorescent bulbs difficult to dispose of safely. One very legitimate reason why the use of fluorescent bulbs is waning, in favor of increased use of LED bulbs, is that fluorescent bulbs contain a small amount of hazardous mercury. Known as CFL (compact fluorescent light) bulbs, they were regarded as an excellent energy-saving alternative to incandescent bulbs-at least until the advent of LED technology. Fluorescent lighting can also work well for providing supplemental light for growing plants, or for needle-crafters and other hobbyists.Īnd there are also screw-in forms of fluorescent lamps that fit the sockets on standard light fixtures and in floor and table lamps. A 4-foot-long fluorescent tube over a workbench can be much more effective than standard incandescent or LED bulbs in traditional light fixtures. Fluorescent light fixtures using long tube-shaped lamps are often used for workshop and hobby lighting, for example. Although LED (light-emitting diode) light bulbs are increasingly popular and have largely replaced standard incandescent light bulbs in residential applications, tube-like fluorescent bulbs (lamps) and fixtures are still popular in some applications, due to their low energy consumption and the quality of the diffused light they emit. The Spruce Home Improvement Review Boardįluorescent light tubes are glass lamps that produce light through a unique action of ionized mercury atom causing a powdered phosphor coating inside the bulb to glow (fluoresce).

How does the fluorescent light bulb work