How Is Light Produced?

These flashcards cover key concepts related to the production of light, including definitions of terms and processes mentioned in the lecture notes.

Luminous

Describes objects that produce their own light, such as the Sun or a light bulb.

Non-luminous

Describes objects that do not produce their own light and can be seen only by reflected light, such as a tree.

Incandescence

The production of light as a result of high temperature; examples include light bulbs and glowing metal.

Electric Discharge

A process of producing light by passing an electric current through a gas; seen in neon lights and lightning.

Fluorescence

The immediate emission of visible light as a result of the absorption of ultraviolet light.

Phosphorescence

The process of producing light by the absorption of ultraviolet light that is emitted over an extended period of time.

Chemiluminescence

The production of light as a direct result of a chemical reaction with little or no heat produced, commonly seen in glow sticks.

Bioluminescence

The production of light in living organisms as a result of a chemical reaction.

Triboluminescence

The production of light from friction, as observed when certain crystals are scratched or crushed.

Light-Emitting Diode (LED)

An electronic device that emits light when an electric current flows in one direction through a semiconductor.

Inefficient Light Sources

Light sources, such as incandescent bulbs, that convert only a small percentage of electricity into visible light, wasting the rest as heat.

Geissler Tubes

Early gas tubes that produced light when an electric current was passed through the gas inside.