Hehkulampuissa

Hehkulampuissa, commonly known as incandescent light bulbs, are a type of electric light that produces light by passing an electric current through a filament. This filament, typically made of tungsten, is heated to a high temperature until it glows. The filament is enclosed in a glass bulb, which is usually evacuated or filled with an inert gas to prevent the filament from oxidizing and burning out.

The principle behind incandescent lighting was first demonstrated by Humphry Davy in 1802, but practical, long-lasting bulbs were developed much later. Key figures in the development include Joseph Swan in Britain and Thomas Edison in the United States, both of whom patented their own versions in the late 1870s. Edison's success was largely due to his focus on creating a commercially viable product with a long-lasting filament and an efficient manufacturing process.

Incandescent bulbs convert a significant portion of the electrical energy they consume into heat rather than light, making them relatively inefficient compared to newer lighting technologies like LEDs and fluorescent lamps. This inefficiency has led to their gradual phasing out in many regions due to energy conservation efforts. Despite their inefficiency, incandescent bulbs were widely used for over a century due to their low manufacturing cost, simple design, and warm, pleasant light quality. They are also known for their excellent color rendering, meaning they accurately represent the colors of objects illuminated by them.