Fluorescent light bulbs are more economical than traditional incandescent light bulbs. Incandescent light bulbs waste a lot of energy through unneeded heat that is produced when they are lit. Fluorescent light bulbs have electrodes at the ends of a tube. Inside the tube of the light bulb there is a tube made of argon and mercury. The electrodes send electrons from one end of the tube to the other, which excites the mercury, causing the mercury atoms to vibrate. They release ultraviolet photons, which hit a special phosphor coating inside the fluorescent light bulb. The phosphor glows, creating the light, and generating far less heat than burning a filament in an incandescent light bulb.
Fluorescent light bulbs that will screw right into any existing light socket are now being manufactured. These light bulbs are sometimes called Compact Fluorescent Lamps, or CFLs, and work by taking a traditional fluorescent light bulb and twisting it into a shape that will easily fit into your existing light socket. This is the most economical light bulb on the market today! Fluorescent light bulbs do cost more than incandescent light bulbs, but they last up to ten times longer than incandescent bulbs, saving you quite a bit of money over time!
A good plan for those who wish to switch to fluorescent bulbs while on a tight budget is to gradually replace the incandescent bulbs with fluorescent bulbs. Fluorescent light bulbs use two-thirds less energy than traditional incandescent light bulbs and the more fluorescent light bulbs you have in your home, the less your electricity bill will be.
