Heat From Electric Light Bulbs

Most recent answer: 10/22/2007

Q:
I am doing a poject for school and i was wondering How is heat energy produced by a light bulb?
- Patricia (age 12)
A:
When the electric current flows through the little wire filament in the light bulb, the moving electrons bump into things in the metal wire. That shakes up the atoms in the wire. When the atoms shake around more, we say that they are hotter, at higher temperature.

Mike W.

(published on 10/22/2007)