I was just wondering how light comes to be, from light bulbs or flash

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the nature of light production from light bulbs and flashlights, exploring the mechanisms behind light emission and the role of electrons in this process. It includes both conceptual and technical explanations related to the physics of light generation.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant inquires about how light is generated from light bulbs and flashlights, suggesting a curiosity about energy transfer through particles in the air.
  • Another participant explains that an electric field causes electrons to flow through a filament, leading to collisions that produce heat and cause the filament to glow, emitting light through vibrating electrons and the release of photons.
  • A later reply expresses understanding of the concept presented and thanks the previous contributor.
  • Another participant reiterates the explanation of light production and poses a related question about whether electrons deep inside the material contribute to light emission or if only peripheral atoms are involved, speculating on the process of heat and light conversion within the material.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the basic mechanism of light production in light bulbs, but there is an ongoing exploration regarding the role of deeper electrons in light emission, indicating that multiple views remain on this aspect.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes assumptions about the behavior of electrons and light within materials, and the complexity of light emission is acknowledged but not fully resolved.

fiziks dood
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i was just wondering how light comes to be, from light bulbs or flash lights...
is it energy transferred through the particles in the air?

I'm still new to physics and am curous about this :-p
 
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An Electric field is applied to the wire and electrons start to flow and they flow through the filament and while these electrons are flowing they have all these collisions inside the material and that produces heat, And the tungsten filament starts to glow red and then eventually glows white hot producing white light. The light is cause by vibrating electrons in the material. And then particles of light called photons are shot off like little bullets from the light bulb. Light is produced from oscillating charged particles. We have to be careful, light is a little more complicated than little bullets tho.
 


i think i got the concept, thanks cragar :)
 


cragar said:
An Electric field is applied to the wire and electrons start to flow and they flow through the filament and while these electrons are flowing they have all these collisions inside the material and that produces heat, And the tungsten filament starts to glow red and then eventually glows white hot producing white light. The light is cause by vibrating electrons in the material. And then particles of light called photons are shot off like little bullets from the light bulb. Light is produced from oscillating charged particles. We have to be careful, light is a little more complicated than little bullets tho.

Since the OP's question is answered, let me use this thread for a related question.

Does the electrons deep inside the material contribute to the light emission, or it is only the peripheral atoms? Let me think aloud: an inside electron created a visible light particle, but the material is opaque to light. The surrounding atoms (still deep inside the material) receive the light and converts it into heat energy. The heat energy causes it to emit more light. Such millions of (depending on the number of atoms in the material) heat<>light conversions happen before we see the light outside. Am I correct?
 

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