The battle of the bulbs
![]()
You'd be blue, too: Compact fluorescent light bulbs save energy, but come with a number of problems.
Courtesy Tiago Daniel
We’ve written before about compact fluorescent light bulbs – a new type of bulb you can buy for your home that uses a lot less electricity than standard bulbs, and thus reduces pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. But are they all they’re cracked up to be?
Some environmental groups warn that the bulbs contain mercury, which can be toxic and difficult to clean up in the event of a broken bulb.
Researchers in England claim the bulbs can trigger migraines, epilepsy and lupus.
And a review panel assembled by the New York Times concluded that most CFL bulbs do not give off attractive light.
Though a step in the right direction, clearly there are still some bugs to work out of the bulbs.
Your Comments, Thoughts, Questions, Ideas
A couple weeks ago I converted all my light bulbs at home to this style and can vouch that they give off great light. I haven't gotten my electric bill to see yet to see what I'm saving, though.
what does the electricty do to a burnt out light bulb
Nothing. A light bulb burns out when part of the electrical circuit is broken. If you try to send electricity into a burnt-out bulb, it will have nowhere to go.
Why do bulbs burn out? Bulbs work by shooting electricity through a tiny piece of metal called a filament. In an incandescent (traditional) bulb, the electrical energy heats the metal until it glows. In a fluorescent bulb, the filament shoots electrons through a tube filled with mercury and argon gas. The electricity energizes the gas. The tube is coated on the inside with a substance which glows when the gas transfers energy to it.
In both types of bulbs, years of carrying electrical current eventually weakens the tiny filaments and they break.
ya i agree it is more coastly to buy them but savemoney on energy bill
Kulyas
i have these light bulbs at home but one thing that they dont do is last as long as they say they do they can burn out really quickly and they make a room really bright lol
It's perfect to combated the global warming because we less energy and is better for us earth.
That blue light bulb looks pretty tight...
U Kno Wat Im Sayin!!!
i think that everybody should use these light bulbs.
Twila Turnage
If we are trying to use less energy we ave to use these light bulbs not talk about them on the computer whitch is using even more energy
The light bulbs are good for conserving energy, but the are costly, but I guess its wort it...
I think that these light bulbs a great idea and everybody should use it.





Delicious
Digg
Facebook
Google
Yahoo


Science Buzz and all related activities
Add a new comment