Light Bulb

Illuminating our lives, the light bulb is found in almost every building throughout the world. It has become such a staple item, that most have never experiences life without some form of light bulb. However, this was not always the case.

The light bulb, also known as the incandescent lamp or incandescent light bulb, works when a wire filament is heated to a high temperature that causes it to emit visible light. Generally, this wire is protected by a gas-filled glass bulb that gives the light bulb its characteristics shape.

The creation of the incandescent light bulb began in 1761, when Ebenezer Kinnersley first demonstrated that heating a wire could cause visible light. Then, several other inventors and creators made alterations to this wire by attaching batteries, surrounding it with a protective glass cover, and filling the glass with gas to help it shine brighter All of these changes have led to the light bulb that is so common today.

Although several people contributed to the creation of the light bulb, Thomas Edison generally gets the credit for its creation. This is because Edison's version of the light bulb was much better than others at that time. The Edison light bulb was unique in that its wire was very effective at causing illumination, it created a very high vacuum of gas inside the protective glass cover, and it has a power distribution source, which made it a more affordable option. These characteristics made the Edison light bulb the best at the time, and this base model is still used today.

Once Edison had created the base model of the light bulb, he patented it in October of 1878. Soon after, in 1880 the lightbulb was fist incorporated into a steam train from the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company. Since then, the Edison light bulb has been used throughout the world as a source of light.

In recent times, the Edison light bulb has been improved upon in order to make it more energy efficient. Although bright, the Edison light bulb releases more than 95% of its energy as heat instead of as visible light. To improve upon this, LED lights, fluorescent lights, and halogen lights are used in place of the Edison-based incandescent light bulb. These are generally brighter lights, as more of their energy is put towards creating visible light instead of releasing heat.

Overall, the lightbulb is a transformative invention that has value throughout the world. It has come a long way since its first creation, but continues to remain an essential feature of everyday life.