Published on: October 10, 2022
Written by Jonas Frank / Fact-checked by Nova Scarlett
Converting electrical energy into light energy is a key function of many devices that emit light, from lamps to LED lights. The process by which electrical energy is converted into light energy generally involves the movement of electrons through a material, known as a semiconductor. When an electron moves from a lower-energy state to a higher-energy state within the semiconductor, it releases a photon – the unit of light – with an amount of energy equal to the difference in energies between the two states.
How does electrical energy convert to light energy? It’s a question that has puzzled scientists for centuries. But now, thanks to the work of researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, we may finally have an answer.
In a new study published in the journal Nature Communications, the team details how they discovered that light can be generated by converting electrical energy into heat and then using that heat to create photons. The process is known as “thermophotovoltaics,” and it could have major implications for the way we generate electricity in the future. The idea behind thermophotovoltaics is simple: if you can convert electricity into heat, you can then use that heat to generate photons (light).
And if you can do that efficiently enough, you could potentially create an electrical panel for a solar system that generates electricity from light—without having to use any traditional solar panels. So far, however, thermophotovoltaic systems have been incredibly inefficient. The best systems are only able to convert about 10% amount of the electrical energy into usable light.
But the new system developed by the UC Berkeley team is much more efficient—it can convert up to 40% of electrical energy into light. What’s even more impressive is that this system doesn’t require any special materials or complicated fabrication processes. It’s made entirely from inexpensive and readily available materials like silicon wafers and commercial off-the-shelf LEDs.
The key to this new system’s efficiency is its unique design. Most previous attempts at thermophotovoltaics used a “cavity” made of two mirrors facing each other with a small gap between them. This cavity would be filled with material that would absorb some of the incoming electrical energy and convert it into heat.
Then, when photons tried to escape through this gap, they would bounce back and forth between the mirrors until eventually, they had enough energy to break free and escape as visible light. However, most of these photons ended up being infrared — invisible to our eyes but still capable of generating electricity if captured by solar cells.
Electrical Energy to Light Energy 4 Examples
Light energy is a type of electromagnetic radiation. Electromagnetic radiation is a form of energy that travels through the air and is used to power many electrical devices. Examples of light energy include sunlight, visible light, infrared light, and ultraviolet light.
| Sunlight | Sunlight is the most common form of light energy. Sunlight contains all colors of the visible spectrum and is responsible for daytime visibility. It also provides warmth and helps plants grow. |
| Visible light | Visible light is the part of the electromagnetic spectrum that human eyes can see. It has a wavelength range from 380 nanometers (nm) to 750 nm. Red has the longest wavelength in visible light, while violet has the shortest wavelength. |
| Infrared radiation | Infrared radiation has wavelengths just longer than those of visible red light. Infrared waves are used in remote controls and night vision goggles because they can penetrate fog, smoke, and dust better than visible waves can. Thermal imaging cameras detect infrared waves emitted by objects to create images based on temperature differences. |
| Ultraviolet radiation | Ultraviolet radiation has wavelengths just shorter than those of visible violet light. |
Name the Device Which Converts Electrical Energy Into Light Energy
In short, a light bulb. But how does a light bulb work? Inside most light bulbs is a thin wire filament.
When electricity flows through the filament, it gets hot and starts to glow. The glass surrounding the filament prevents oxygen from reaching it, so the filament doesn’t burn up. Different types of light bulbs produce different amounts of light and use different amounts of energy.
For example, incandescent bulbs are very inefficient because they produce a lot of heat along with light. More efficient options include compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs and LED bulbs.
A Light Bulb Changes Electrical Energy into Two Other Forms of Energy What are They?
A light bulb is a very simple device that uses electricity to produce light. The way it does this is by using a metal filament inside the glass bulb that is heated by the electric current passing through it. This heat makes the filament glow, which in turn produces light.
While this process may seem like it only involves electrical energy being converted into light, there is actually another form of energy being produced as well – heat! In fact, most of the energy that a light bulb produces is in the form of heat, with only a small amount being turned into visible light. That’s why your light bulbs can get quite hot to the touch after they’ve been on for a while.
So there you have it – a look at how a light bulb converts electrical energy into two other forms of energy – heat, and light!
Chemical Energy into Light Energy
When you see a lightbulb in action, it looks like magic. But there’s actually a simple scientific explanation for how lightbulbs work. In short, they convert chemical energy into light energy.
How does this happen? It all starts with an electric current passing through a wire. This wire is usually made of metal, and it’s called a filament.
The electric current heats up the filament until it becomes white-hot. As the filament heats up, it starts to emit light. The wavelength of this light depends on the material of the filament and the temperature that it’s heated.
Most filaments are made of tungsten, which emits a yellowish-white light when heated to around 4500 degrees Kelvin. So that’s how a lightbulb converts chemical energy (it is the form of electric energy) into light energy!
Light Energy is a Part of Electrical Energy. True Or False?
One of the most common questions we get asked here at Energy Ogre is whether or not light energy is a part of electrical energy. The answer to this question is a bit complicated, but we’ll do our best to explain it as simply as possible.
To understand the answer to this question, it’s important to first understand what light energy is and how it relates to electricity.
Light energy is a type of electromagnetic radiation that travels through the air and is visible to the human eye. This means that light energy is made up of electric and magnetic fields that oscillate at different frequencies.
Now, onto electricity.
Electricity is also made up of electric and magnetic fields, but these fields are generated by moving electrons. So, when you have moving electrons (electricity), you also have an accompanying magnetic field. However, when you just have stationary electrons (like in a wire), there isn’t a corresponding magnetic field – only an electric field.
So now that we know all that, let’s answer the original question – Is light energy a part of electrical energy? The short answer is yes, but it’s important to understand that they are two different types of energy with different properties.
Conversion of Electrical Energy into Mechanical Energy
In order to convert electrical energy into mechanical energy, a device must be used that can change the flow of electrons. The most common type of device for this conversion is an electric motor. Electric motors work by using electromagnets to create a force that turns an axle.
The more electrons that flow through the electromagnet, the stronger the force will be. This turning force can be used to power many different types of machinery.
Source of Electrical Energy in a Circuit
In a circuit, the source of electrical energy is typically a battery or other power source. This provides the voltage that drives current through the circuit. The current then flows through various components in the circuit, such as resistors and capacitors, before returning to the power source.
The power source supplies the energy needed to maintain the current flow in the circuit.
Quick Facts
What Converts Electric to Light?
In general, electric-to-light conversion is achieved by using a semiconductor material to create an LED. When electricity is applied to the semiconductor, it creates photons (light) through a process called electroluminescence. In order for this to happen, there needs to be a p-n junction in the semiconductor.
The p-type side has extra holes while the n-type side has extra electrons. When the two sides are joined together, they form what’s called a depletion zone. This is where the magic happens because when electricity is applied and electrons start flowing across the depletion zone, they recombine with holes and release energy in the form of photons (light)!
What Does Electrical Energy Convert To?
Electricity is the flow of electrical power steering or charge. It is a form of energy that can be converted into other forms, such as heat, light, or motion.
What are Examples of Light Energy?
Light energy is a type of electromagnetic radiation. It is produced by the sun and other stars, and it makes up a large portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Examples of light energy include visible light, ultraviolet light, infrared light, and x-rays.
Conclusion
Electrical energy can be converted to light energy in a number of ways. One common way is through the use of incandescent bulbs. In an incandescent bulb, electrical current passes through a thin wire filament, heating it until it glows.
The heat produces light, which escapes from the bulb and casts light on whatever is nearby. Other devices that convert electrical energy to light energy include fluorescent lights, halogen lights, and LED lights. In each of these cases, electrical current stimulates atoms or molecules in such a way that they emit photons, particles of light.
The photons then travel away from the device, providing illumination as they go.
Learn more:
- Can a 10W Solar Panel Charge a 12V 7Ah Battery?
- What Percent is a Good Car Battery? (Find Now)
- What is Inside a Cell Phone Battery? (Answered)
- What is INR Battery? (Full Explanation)
Used Resources:
