Sixth Grade
Worksheets
How Do Twisty Light Bulbs Work?
Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) are an efficient new way to produce light. They come in the familiar twisty light bulb shape and in other forms as well.
CFLs are much more efficient than traditional incandescent light bulbs. They produce more light using the same amount of electricity.
Traditional incandescent light bulbs use a filament to produce light. The filament is heated until it is white-hot, so these light bulbs give off a lot of unwanted heat. CFLs do not use a filament and do not produce as much heat.
There are two main parts to a compact fluorescent light bulb, a gas-filled tube and a ballast.
The gas-filled tube that makes up the main part of a CFL contains argon and a small amount of mercury. The inside of the tube is coated with phosphors, a material that gives off light.
