Neon and fluorescent lights differ in several ways, including bulb shape, color of light emitted and substances used to produce that light. Find out how neon and fluorescent lights work in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.
Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Episode Transcript
Welcome to Brainstuff from house stuff works dot com where
smart happens. Hi Am Marshall Brain with today's question, what
is the difference between a fluorescent light and a neon light?
A neon light is the sort of light you see
(00:22):
used in advertising signs. These signs are made of long,
narrow glass tubes, and these tubes are often bent into
all sorts of shapes. The tube of a neon light
can spell out a word, for example. These tubes emit
light in different colors. A fluorescent light, on the other hand,
is most often a long, straight tube that produces white light.
(00:45):
You see fluorescent lights and offices, stores, and some home fixtures.
The idea behind a neon light is simple. Inside the
glass tube, there is a gas like neon, argon or
crypton at low pressure. At both ends of the tube,
there are a metal electrodes. When you apply high voltage
(01:05):
to the electrodes, the neon gas ionizes and electrons flow
through the gas. These electrons excite the neon atoms and
cause them to emit light that we see. Neon emits
red light when energized in this way. Other gases emit
other colors. A fluorescent light works on a similar idea,
but it has an extra step. Inside a fluorescent light
(01:29):
is low pressure mercury vapor. When ionized, mercury vapor emits
ultraviolet light. Human eyes are not sensitive to ultraviolet light,
although human skin is. That's how we get sunburns and
sun tans. Therefore, the inside of a fluorescent light is
coated with a phosphor. A phosphor is a substance that
can accept energy in one form and emit energy in
(01:51):
the form of visible light. In a fluorescent lamp, the
phosphor accepts the energy of ultra violet photons and emits
visible photons. The light we see from a fluorescent tube
is the light given off by this phosphor that coats
the inside of the tube. The light of a neon
tube is the colored light that the neon adams give
(02:12):
off directly. Do you have any ideas or suggestions for
this podcast? If so, please send me an email at
podcast at how stuff works dot com. For more on
this and thousands of other topics, go to how stuff
works dot com and be sure to check out the
brain stuff blog on the how stuff works dot com
home page.
BrainStuff News
Host
Lauren Vogelbaum
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Ruthie's Table 4
For more than 30 years The River Cafe in London, has been the home-from-home of artists, architects, designers, actors, collectors, writers, activists, and politicians. Michael Caine, Glenn Close, JJ Abrams, Steve McQueen, Victoria and David Beckham, and Lily Allen, are just some of the people who love to call The River Cafe home. On River Cafe Table 4, Rogers sits down with her customers—who have become friends—to talk about food memories. Table 4 explores how food impacts every aspect of our lives. “Foods is politics, food is cultural, food is how you express love, food is about your heritage, it defines who you and who you want to be,” says Rogers. Each week, Rogers invites her guest to reminisce about family suppers and first dates, what they cook, how they eat when performing, the restaurants they choose, and what food they seek when they need comfort. And to punctuate each episode of Table 4, guests such as Ralph Fiennes, Emily Blunt, and Alfonso Cuarón, read their favourite recipe from one of the best-selling River Cafe cookbooks. Table 4 itself, is situated near The River Cafe’s open kitchen, close to the bright pink wood-fired oven and next to the glossy yellow pass, where Ruthie oversees the restaurant. You are invited to take a seat at this intimate table and join the conversation. For more information, recipes, and ingredients, go to https://shoptherivercafe.co.uk/ Web: https://rivercafe.co.uk/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/therivercafelondon/ Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook.com/therivercafelondon/ For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iheartradio app, apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.