Hõõglampe

Hõõglampe, commonly known as an incandescent light bulb, is a type of electric light that produces light by the use of a wire filament heated to a high temperature. This filament is typically made of tungsten, enclosed in a glass bulb filled with an inert gas or a vacuum. When an electric current passes through the filament, it heats up and glows, emitting light.

The invention of the practical incandescent light bulb is credited to Thomas Edison in the late 19th century, although many inventors contributed to its development. Edison's innovation involved creating a long-lasting filament and an efficient bulb design. Early bulbs used carbonized thread or bamboo as filaments, but tungsten proved to be superior due to its high melting point and durability.

Incandescent bulbs are characterized by their warm, yellowish light and are often used for decorative purposes or in applications where dimming is desired. They are relatively inexpensive to manufacture and produce a high-quality light that renders colors accurately. However, they are also inefficient, with a significant portion of the energy consumed being converted into heat rather than light. This inefficiency has led to their gradual phasing out in many parts of the world in favor of more energy-efficient lighting technologies such as LEDs and fluorescent lamps. Despite their declining use, incandescent bulbs remain a familiar and historically significant invention in the field of lighting.