Thread: New bulbs.
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Old 10-03-2007, 16:13   #18
andrewb
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Re: New bulbs.

Quote:
Originally Posted by panther View Post
so what about those other type of bulbs?
like the long fleuresent (cant spell) lights or the spot light ones, because as you said spuggie them 'things' are absolutley ****e!!
Without trying to give you all an Alevel physics lesson, fluorescent lighting is created when electrons hit mercury particles inside the tube. The collision excites the atoms which bumps the contained electrons up to higher energy levels, they're then pulled back in by the atoms nucleous and give out a particle named a photon, which is light.

However the light given out is ultraviolet which we can't see, so the tube is coated with phosphor. The same process happens but instead a photon hits the phosphur atom, electrons move up to a higher energy level, then get pulled back in and release the excess energy as heat and light photon, but this time its white light because some energy was lost in form of heat.

Because it converts ultraviolet light to light we can see, its more efficient than normal light bulbs as they waste the ultraviolet light which is no use to anybody, except maybe your fish.

Therefore; me thinks fluorescent lighting will be fine as works similarly to energy saving bulbs in that they both prevent wasting ultraviolet light, although I think the energy saving ones cut out bits of visible light too, although its not supposed to be noticeable, clearly some people find it is.
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