[at-l] Flickering Fluorescents

[RoksnRoots@aol.com (RoksnRoots@aol.com)]

In a message dated 2/10/02 9:14:20 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
askowronek@mindspring.com writes:


> They blink on and off like a strobe. Spin a wheel under a
> > floresent vs under an incandescent if you don't believe me.


     My guess would be the fluorescent is more accurate at registering the 
"push pull" of alternating current (standard home current) because it relies 
on exciting atoms of gas that react at the speed of light to each direction 
of pulse. The gas inside the bulb emits light in reaction to electrical 
excitement each time power passes through it. Why the incandescent bulb 
doesn't do this is because it relies on heating a filament which burns this 
solid material creating light. This burning event stays lit in the phase 
between electric pulses in ac current providing uninterrupted light. 

     I read about this somewhere and can't recall exactly why they chose that 
particular alternating phase frequency, but it probably has to do with 
efficiency of transmission or something technical. I suspect a solar 
converter could be tuned to speed up the alternations making the strobe less 
visible in fluorescents...


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