Is incandescence a purely quantum phenomenon?

In summary, incandescence in light bulbs is caused by the resistance of the filament, not by orbital shifts of electrons. This results in the emission of light in the visible spectrum due to the filament's high temperature. This phenomenon is not limited to electricity, as any form of heating can produce incandescence. While Wikipedia can be a useful resource, it is important to verify information from multiple sources.
  • #1
bakshi
10
0
I just read this from Wikipedia:

Incandescence occurs in light bulbs, because the filament resists electron flow. This excites electrons in the filament material to jump to a higher atomic orbital and thus subsequently release a photon when they fall back to their original orbits. Depending on the energy difference between the two orbits, the emitted photon is of a different wavelength.

Which means that if the filament is made of tungsten, then only photons having an energy (wavelength) corresponding to the energy levels of the atoms of tungsten can be emitted. Then how can the observed continuous spectrum be explained?
 
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  • #2
I'd be a bit leery of taking Wiki's word on this one. 'Incandescent' simply means that it's hot enough to radiate EM in the visible part of the spectrum. This is caused by the resistance of the filament, not orbital shifts of the electrons. It's not a quantum phenomenon so much as a straight electrical one. A typical household bulb runs at somewhere around 2,500° C., so it covers pretty much the whole visible section plus a lot of infrared.
Electricity isn't even required for incandescence. If you've ever seen a farrier (blacksmith) at work, or a steel plant in operation, then you'll recognize the glow from material heated in another manner.
Better double-check me on this, but I'm pretty sure you don't need to bring stimulated emission into it.
 
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  • #3
Danger is correct. The light being emitted is not due to atomic transition, but rather due to the vibrational spectrum. That, by definition, is related to heat. So you can get the same effect by heating it any way you like. Resistive heating is just one such way.

Just another example why I never use Wikipedia to look up anything.

Zz.
 
  • #4
ZapperZ said:
Danger is correct. The light being emitted is not due to atomic transition, but rather due to the vibrational spectrum. That, by definition, is related to heat. So you can get the same effect by heating it any way you like. Resistive heating is just one such way.

Just another example why I never use Wikipedia to look up anything.

Zz.

I wouldn't discount it that much. It's a pretty good resource for most things when you need a quick answer.
 
  • #5
KingNothing said:
I wouldn't discount it that much. It's a pretty good resource for most things when you need a quick answer.

Caveat Emptor..

Zz.
 

1. What is incandescence?

Incandescence is the emission of light from a heated object. It is commonly observed in objects such as light bulbs, candles, and stars.

2. Is incandescence a purely quantum phenomenon?

Yes, incandescence is a purely quantum phenomenon. This means that it can only be fully explained and understood using the principles of quantum mechanics, which describe the behavior of particles at the atomic and subatomic level.

3. What causes incandescence?

Incandescence is caused by the excitation of electrons in an object. When an object is heated, its atoms gain energy and the electrons in the atoms move to higher energy levels. When these electrons fall back to their original energy levels, they release energy in the form of light, creating the phenomenon of incandescence.

4. Can incandescence occur at any temperature?

No, incandescence only occurs at high temperatures. This is because at lower temperatures, the atoms in an object do not have enough energy to excite the electrons and produce light. However, the exact temperature at which incandescence occurs depends on the material and its properties.

5. How is incandescence different from other forms of light emission?

Incandescence differs from other forms of light emission, such as fluorescence or phosphorescence, in that it is a continuous emission of light. This means that as long as the object is heated, it will continue to emit light. In contrast, fluorescence and phosphorescence are typically caused by a brief excitation and the light emission stops once the excitation source is removed.

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