Incandescence

Incandescence is the emission of electromagnetic radiation (including visible light)

from a hot body as a result of its temperature.[1] The term derives from the Latin
verb incandescere, to glow white.[2]

Incandescence is a special case of thermal radiation. Incandescence usually refers

specifically to visible light, while thermal radiation refers also to infrared or any
other electromagnetic radiation.

For information on the intensity and spectrum (color) of incandescence, see thermal
radiation. Hot metal work glows with visible
light. This thermal radiation also
extends into the infrared, invisible to
the human eye and the camera the
Contents image was taken with, but aninfrared
camera could show it (See
Observation and use Thermography).
Figurative use
See also
References
External links

Observation and use

In practice, virtually all solid or liquid substances start to glow around 798 K
(525 °C) (977 ˚F), with a mildly dull red color, whether or not a chemical reaction
takes place that produces light as a result of an exothermic process. This limit is
called the Draper point. The incandescence does not vanish below that temperature,
but it is too weak in the visible spectrum to be perceivable.

At higher temperatures, the substance becomes brighter and its color changes from
red towards white and finally blue.

Incandescence is exploited in incandescent light bulbs, in which a filament is heated

to a temperature at which a fraction of the radiation falls in the visible spectrum. The
majority of the radiation however, is emitted in the infrared part of the spectrum, The incandescent metal embers of
the spark used to light this Bunsen
rendering incandescent lights relatively inefficient as a light source.[3] If the filament
burner emit light ranging in color from
could be made hotter, efficiency would increase; however, there are currently no
white to orange to red or to blue. This
materials able to withstand such temperatures which would be appropriate for use in change correlates with their
lamps. temperature as they cool in the air.
The flame itself is not incandescent,
More efficient light sources, such asfluorescent lamps and LEDs, do not function by as its blue color comes from the
incandescence.[4] quantized transitions that result from
the oxidation of CH radicals.
Sunlight is the incandescence of the "white hot" surface of thesun.

Figurative use
The word incandescent is also used figuratively to describe a person who is so angry that they are imagined to glow or burn red hot
or white hot.[5]

See also
Red heat
List of light sources

References
1. Dionysius Lardner (1833). Treatise on Heat (https://books.google.com/b
ooks?id=jjYIAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA341). Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown,
Green & Longman. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20171221063
639/https://books.google.com/books?id=jjYIAAAAIAAJ&pg=P A341) from
the original on 2017-12-21."The state in which a heated body, naturally
incapable of emitting light, becomes luminous, is called a state of
incandescence."
2. John E. Bowman (1856).An Introduction to Practical Chemistry,
Including Analysis (https://books.google.com/books?id=ffTcf4FGOx4C&
pg=PA283&dq=incandesce+date:0-1860)(Second American ed.).
Philadelphia: Blanchard and Lea.Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/
20171221063640/https://books.google.com/books?id=f fTcf4FGOx4C&p
g=PA283&dq=incandesce+date:0-1860)from the original on 2017-12-
21.
3. William Elgin Wickenden (1910).Illumination and Photometry(https://bo
oks.google.com/books?id=gVZDAAAAIAAJ&pg=P A3&dq=incandescent
+low-efficiency+blackbody). McGraw-Hill. Archived (https://web.archive.
org/web/20171221063640/https://books.google.com/books?id=gVZDAA
AAIAAJ&pg=PA3&dq=incandescent+low-efficiency+blackbody) from the
original on 2017-12-21.
4. Koones, Sheri (2012-10-01).Prefabulous + Almost Off the Grid: Your
Path to Building an Energy-Independent Home(https://books.google.co
m/books?id=Tdrp2F3BExAC&pg=PT115&dq=fluorescent+light+and+LE
Ds,+do+not+function+by+incandescence.&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi
Q-rWGv5rYAhVL3GMKHbtuAacQ6AEIRzAF#v=onepage&q=fluorescen
The visible color of an object heated
t%20light%20and%20LEDs,%20do%20not%20function%20by%20incan
to incandescence (from 550°C to
descence.&f=false). Abrams. ISBN 9781613123966.
1300°C (1022°F to 2372°F))
5. Example 1:'...the stadium positively crackled with the incandescent
anger of anguished supporters.' Mark Wilson, 'Rangers 1 Unirea 4',
Daily Mail, 21 October 2009 "Archived copy" (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1221762/Rangers-1-Uni
rea-Urziceni-4-Groundhog-day-Gers-humbled-Dan-Petrescus-men.html) . Archived (https://archive.is/201208020911
14/http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1221762/Rangers-1-Unirea-Urziceni-4-Groundhog-day-Gers-hum
bled-Dan-Petrescus-men.html)from the original on 2012-08-02. Retrieved 2009-11-01.. Example 2: '...there's
something very funny about incandescent anger .' Mark Fisher, 'Jerry has a cross to bear',The Scotsman, 5 March
2006 [1] (http://news.scotsman.com/jerryspringer/Jerry-has-a-cross-to.2756197.jp) .

External links
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