Is the light from an incandescent lamp monochromatic?

Answer 1

All the answers thus far are correct. Heat created light is a full spectrum light and the perceived color, from red through intense blue-white, is just the result of all the frequencies in that spectrum combined. From their color, we can guesstimate the temperature of stars because of the so-called black body irradiation relationships between temperature and color.

Monochromatic light can be created however. When electrons are excited, they pop down to higher energy "orbits" around the atomic core. But that is not their natural state; so they don't stay there long.

They pop back out to their, lower energy natural orbits (actually probability shells). When they pop back home, they lose energy as photon energy (e.g., light). And, depending on the atom and level of excitation, that light often has a distinct, monochromatic frequency.

We call the monochromatic light LASER or coherent light. Because this kind of light is monochromatic, it tends to stay together much better than black body light. Thus, for example, we can shine a LASER beam at the Moon without losing much of its energy due to scattering and dispersion, which incandescent light would do.

Answer 2

An incandescent light has a continuous spectrum with all visible colors present. There are no bright lines and no dark lines in the spectrum. This is one of the most important spectra, a blackbody spectrum emitted by a hot object. The blackbody spectrum is a function of temperature, cooler objects emit redder light, hotter objects white or even bluish light.

Answer 3

No, it covers many different wavelengths but they cluster around yellow.

Just a follow-up: We're talking about incandescent light BULBS, not the property of incandescent light. Commercial bulbs, the type found in most homes, emits most of the visible spectrum. However, they emit more yellow than blue. Fluorescent light bulbs, however, tend to emit more blue light, which is why you need a blue filter for your SLR camera for fluorescent lighting and a red filter with incandescent lighting.

Answer 4

degree the Voltage around the bulb and the present in an undemanding sequence cicuit. then use P = VI to calulate capability in watts. The Flourescent bulb ought to apply much less capability, that's by way of fact the filament in a classic bulb works via having an extremely severe resistance producing a superb variety of warmth capability that's an undesirable capability conversion making it inefficient.

Answer 5

No, it emits a pretty wide range from Heat(infrared) out through and past yellow.