Incandescent light bulbs work on the principle of incandescence which refers to the emission of light through the transfer of heat energy via the method of radiation. Incandescent light bulbs have a very thin filament.

This filament is made up of tungsten. The tungsten filament is protected inside an outer body made of glass. This filament is heated up by passing an electric current through it. Being excessively thin, the tungsten filament offers a considerable level of resistance to the electric current passing through it.

This resistance helps in converting the electrical energy into heat energy. The heat energy is considerably influential and turns the filament white hot. It is this extreme heat which is visible as white light. As a result of this copious heat energy the filament starts to glow. This glow is the incandescence emitted by the light bulbs and this characteristic is responsible for the name “incandescent light bulbs”.

The glass casing stops the oxygen in the air from coming into contact with the filament as it would lead to oxidation of the filament. Incandescent light bulbs are available in a variety of sizes. Also the voltage of bulbs can differ greatly, ranging from as low as 1.5 volts to as powerful as 300 volts.

Some of the advantages of incandescent light bulbs are that they do not need any external equipment for regulating, and also the cost of producing these bulbs is very low. incandescent light bulbs are extremely convenient as they work well regardless of the current being used, be it Direct Current that is D.C or Alternating Current that is A.C.

Due to the extremely adaptable nature of these bulbs, they are widely used in homes as well as in offices for commercial purposes. Let us now observe the construction and structure of the incandescent light bulbs. The incandescent light bulbs are made of a glass casing which is called the envelope. This glass casing is filled with an inert gas. This inert gas works towards decreasing the evaporation of the filament.

This filament is made out of a wire of tungsten. An electric current is passed through this tungsten wire. The electric current causes the filament to heat up. The filament upon heating releases a light which forms a sort of continuous light spectrum.

Visible light is the functional and useful part of the light spectrum. However a major of the light emitted falls in the spectrum of infrared wavelengths. The glass casing of an incandescent light bulb can obtain temperatures approximating 400 to 550 degrees Fahrenheit which is the same as 200 to 260 degrees Celsius.

Those bulbs which provide the same amount of luminosity as other normal bulbs provide,  but use lesser electricity for the same are termed as Energy saving bulbs.  These bulbs may be costlier than the normal bulbs,  but in the long run,  they are very cheap as compared to ordinary bulbs , as they save a lot of electricity as well have a long life and duration.
According to a survey,  if Each Indian House hold substitutes its regular bulb with one energy saving Light bulb,  the electricity saved would be enough to shut down 5 power stations in the country.

Traditional incandescent light bulbs are really a horror.  They not only have a very short life, but also consume a lot of energy for the same light out put,  and also cost a lot of money.  Hence their substitution with efficient energy saving bulbs is a must.  Also,  from using energy saving light bulbs,  as much as 4 million tonnes of Carbon emissions to the atmosphere can be prevented.

The energy saving light bulbs use about 1/4th of the power used by traditional Incandescent bulbs and lasts up to 13 times longer than them.  Also,  these energy saving bulbs are available in in a lot of Designs and shapes and the users can select the type according to his needs and tastes.
However variations in standard Dimmer energy saving bulbs is not very common.  The initial cost of such E-Saving bulbs may be higher than the Incandescent bulbs but in the ling run these energy saving bulbs prove more cost effective.  However,  in the coming years,  the cost of such energy saving tubes and bulbs will be brought down.

But, since the Energy saving bulbs contain Mercury, their disposal still remains a problem.  They should be disposed properly and if possible, the mercury should be recycled a lot.

LED’s or Light emitting diodes can be used in regular households.  These diodes have an even longer life than the normal Energy saving bulbs and can be of as minimal power as 4 watts.  The problem with LED’s is that they do not illuminate as strongly as other energy saving bulbs do,  and hence these cant compete the energy saving bulbs now.  But in the longer run,  the LED’s are expected to replace all other types of Electronic bulbs.

Overall,  Energy saver bulbs are a boon for us,  and only a Retard shall refuse to use them in place of other expensive house hold or fancy bulbs.  These energy saver bulbs will not only reap profits for you in the future but also will help to save electricity and reduce the pollution,  in the form of carbon emissions.