Incandescent light bulbs use electrical energy to produce light energy, but it is not a direct transformation. Instead, the electrical energy is changed to a different form of energy, and then to light.
Electricity → ? → Light
What form of energy does the "?" represent?
-
Sound
No. Electrical energy can be transformed into sound energy, but that would not cause the bulb to light. -
Thermal
Yes. As electrical energy flows through the filament, resistance changes the electrical energy into thermal energy. When the filament gets hot enough, some of the thermal energy is converted into light. -
Radiation
No. The electrical energy is not transformed into radiation. -
Friction
No. The electrical energy is not transformed into friction.
Click to see which state standards this question tests, and which of my videos, experiments, and other resources support that topic.
Florida
SC.2.P.10.1 Discuss that people use electricity or other forms of energy to cook their food, cool or warm their homes, and power their cars.
| Review Energy-3 | practice |
SC.5.P.10.4 Investigate and explain that electrical energy can be transformed into heat, light, and sound energy, as well as the energy of motion.
| Introduction to the LED | video, checked |
| Light a Bulb with a Balloon | video, checked |
| Electricity | video, free, Updated |
| Review Energy-3 | practice |
SC.7.P.11.2 Investigate and describe the transformation of energy.
| The Rollback Can | video, free, Updated |
| High Bounce | video, checked |
| Review Energy-3 | practice |
Utah
UT.3.V.2.c Predict, measure, and graph the temperature changes produced by a variety of mechanical machines and electrical devices while they are operating.
| Review Energy-3 | practice |
UT.8.IV.4.b Trace the conversion of energy from one form of energy to another (e.g., light to chemical to mechanical).
| Measuring Kinetic and Potential Energy | video, checked |
| The Rollback Can | video, free, Updated |
| High Bounce | video, checked |
NGSS
4-PS3-4 Apply scientific ideas to design, test, and refine a device that converts energy from one form to another.
| Why We Sweat | video, checked |
| Sunglass Science: Birefringence | video, free, Updated |
| Sunglass Science: Polarized Light | video, free, Updated |
| Noisy String | video, checked |
| Spoon Bells | video, checked |
| Ice Cream Science | video, checked |
| Making a Screamer | video, free, Updated |
| Measuring Kinetic and Potential Energy | video, checked |
| The Singing Glass | video, checked |
| The Slow Race | video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated |
| Whistle Stick | video, text page, blog, free, checked |
| Simple Circuits | video, checked |
| Solar Power | video, checked |
| The Rollback Can | video, free, Updated |
| A Grass Whistle | video, checked |
| Bottle Tones, part 1 | video, checked |
| High Bounce | video, checked |
| Bottle Tones, part 2 | video, checked |
| Measuring Calories | video, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| Why Things Go Bang | video |
| Sunlight, Energy, and Crayons | text page, free |
| Review Energy-5 | quest |
| Review Energy-3 | practice |