Glühfäden

Glühfäden, German for "glowing threads," refers to the thin filaments within incandescent light bulbs that produce light when heated to a high temperature by an electric current. These filaments are typically made of tungsten due to its exceptionally high melting point and resistance to evaporation. When electricity passes through the tungsten filament, its resistance causes it to heat up, emitting visible light. The process is known as incandescence.

The efficiency of traditional incandescent bulbs is quite low, with a significant portion of the electrical energy converted into heat rather than light. This is why they have largely been replaced by more energy-efficient lighting technologies like LEDs and fluorescent lamps. However, the concept of a glowing filament remains fundamental to understanding how early electric lighting worked and continues to be a subject of interest in the history of technology. The invention and refinement of the tungsten filament were crucial steps in making electric lighting practical and widespread.