How Does A Fluorescent Lamp Work?

Fluorescent lamp would refer to a gas-discharge lamp which makes use of electricity so as to excite mercury vapour in either argon or neon gas, consequently producing a plasma which creates short-wave ultraviolet light.  It is this light that causes a phosphor to fluoresce, thus producing visible light.

As opposed to incandescent lamps, fluorescent lamps continuously need a ballast so as to adjust the very flow of power all through the lamp. You find that in common tube fixtures (on average 4 ft or even 8 ft long), that the ballast is actually enclosed in the fixture itself.

Also, compact fluorescent light bulbs possibly include conventional ballast positioned in the fixture or possibly they may have ballasts actually integrated in the bulbs, thus allowing them to be utilized in lampholders generally used for incandescent lamps.

Visit home.howstuffworks.com for details on how fluorescent lamps work.