Image:Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb.jpg

From Global Warming Art

Description

A less efficient incandescent light bulb
A less efficient incandescent light bulb

This is a photograph of a compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) in the common "swirl" design, consisting of a long twisted tube coated in phosphor and an electronic ballast (extending below the image) to generate a constant current.

Compact fluorescent bulbs are designed to replace incandescent light bulbs. CFLs use approximately 1/4 the energy as incandescent bulbs and have typical lifetimes that are 10 times longer. [1] The energy savings of CFLs, if widely used, have a significant potential to reduce electric consumption. Unlike incandescent bulbs, CFLs become dimmer by 20-30% during their lifetime, and may have a different color rendering than incandescent lighting.

Like all fluorescent lamps, CFLs contain small amounts of mercury, typically ~5 mg. Users are encouraged to recycle old CFLs and to handle broken CFLs with care (see: EPA disposal and handling guidelines). In most jurisdictions, individual bulbs may be disposed of with ordinary garbage without exceeding the local concentration threshold for hazardous waste, though there is still concern over mercury leaking from accumulated CFLs in landfills.

Copyright

This image was taken by PiccoloNamek and is released under the GFDL.


GFDL

Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts.

Metadata

This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create or digitize it. If the file has been modified from its original state, some details may not fully reflect the modified image.

File upload and version history

Click on date to see the file uploaded on that date.