Book 3, Question 42 · Video
Why Do LED Lights Use Less Power?
An LED makes light inside a tiny chip, so almost no energy is thrown away as heat. An old-fashioned bulb glows by heating a thin wire until it's white hot, and that wastes lots of
Read the full answer →What Crafty Clover says in this video
Intro
Hey there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Why do LED lights use less power?
The Big Idea
An LED makes light inside a tiny chip, so almost no energy is thrown away as heat. An old-fashioned bulb glows by heating a thin wire until it's white hot, and that wastes lots of energy. So the same brightness costs far less power with an LED!
Current Enters the Chip
Step one: electricity enters the chip. LED stands for light-emitting diode. When you flip the switch, electrons flow into a tiny chip called a semiconductor. Electrons arrive, ready to make light!
Energy Drops a Level
Step two: the electrons drop a level. Inside the chip, each electron falls from a higher energy level to a lower one. The extra energy pops out as a tiny packet of light, called a photon.
Little Heat, Small Bill
Step three: very little heat is left over. Most of the energy leaves as light, not heat, so the lamp stays cooler. That means fewer watts, and a smaller electric bill!
A Closer Look
Let's take a closer look at an LED bulb! The chip is where the light is made. A plastic dome protects the chip. A heat sink carries away the little heat there is. And at the bottom, a screw-in connector brings the power.
Quick Facts
Quick facts! The same brightness can use about six times less power than an old bulb! The first visible LED glowed red, in 1962. Blue LEDs came later, and they unlocked white lamps. Never stare into a super-bright LED.
Think Like a Scientist
Now, think like a scientist! With a grown-up, find an LED lamp and an old-style bulb. Let each one shine for one minute. Then carefully feel each one. Be gentle, because bulbs can be hot! Which one wastes more heat? Why do you think so?
Outro
LEDs turn electricity into light, and hardly any heat. Bright idea! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!