what's the white powder inside of light bulbs?

Answer 1

Although incandescent bulbs are still widely used, another type-the fluorescent bulb, has grown in popularity, especially during the last decade. These long, thin glass tubes are coated on the inside with a white powder called phosphor. In order to turn them on, you must connect them to something called a ballast. Most ballasts are about the size of a brick, and they're hidden inside the lighting, usually behind a piece of sheet metal. When you flip a switch to turn on the lights, what you are actually doing is turning on the ballast. The ballast "turns on" the fluorescent lamp by passing electricity through the tube. The electrical current causes the gas inside the lamp to give off ultraviolet energy. This energy hits the phosphor and gets converted to light.

Answer 2

It's a fluorescent powder coating to help even out the light given off by the bulb. It is electrostaticly blown into the bulb before the internal parts are placed into the bulb and the bulb sealed. Some of the newer bulbs now include a pigment to slightly change the wavelength of the light emitted from the bulb, giving a "cooler" light.

Answer 3

the white powder in fluorescent bulbs is phosphor..
fluorescent bulbs are made of glass tubes that contain mercury vapor and argon gas. When electricity flows through the tube it causes the mercury to give off ultraviolet energy. This energy then strikes phosphors that coat the inside of the lamp, giving off visible light.

Answer 4

White powder in fluorescent bulbs is fluorescent glass coating. Broken fluorescent bulbs are hazardous due to the mercury within them, so the room should be thoroughly aired before cleanup is attempted. A vacuum cleaner should not be used as it can encourage vaporization of mercury in the air. Instead, wet paper napkins should be used.