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Carbon Arc Lamp

Encyclopedia of Color Science and Technology

Synonyms

Arc lamps

Definition

Lamps consisting of two rods of carbon in open air or in a glass enclosure. The ends of the rods touch each other and are connected to a current source. By subsequently separating the rods, a discharge arc is produced that brings the ends of the rods to bright incandescence.

Carbon Arc Electric Lamps

In contrast to what many people think, it is not the incandescent lamp, but the carbon arc lamp that was the first electric light source used. Already in 1810 Humphry Davy demonstrated in the Royal Institution in London a bright arc between two pieces of charcoal connected to 2,000 voltaic cells [1–3]. Electric carbon arc lighting really took off after the introduction of steam-driven generators around 1850, some 30 years before the introduction of the incandescent lamp. The earliest practical application of electric light was an arc lamp used to simulate the sun in the opera of Paris in 1849 [1]. Arc lamps with their concentrated light of high intensity...

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References

  1. Stoer, G.W.: History of Light and Lighting. Philips Lighting Division, Eindhoven (1986)

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  2. Rebske, E.: Lampen Laternen Leuchten. Franckh’sche Verlagshandlung, Stutgart (1962)

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  3. Luckiesh, M.: Artificial Light Its Influence Upon Civilization. The Century Books of Useful Science, New York (1920)

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  4. Thirring, H.: Handbuch der Physik. Springer, Berlin (1928)

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  5. Macbeth, N.: Color temperature classification of natural and artificial illuminants. Trans. IES 23, 302–324 (1928)

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Van Bommel Lighting Consultant, Andoornstraat 16, 5672, Nuenen, Netherlands

    Wout van Bommel

Authors
  1. Wout van Bommel
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Correspondence to Wout van Bommel .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Design University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom

    Ronnier Luo

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© 2012 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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van Bommel, W. (2012). Carbon Arc Lamp. In: Luo, R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Color Science and Technology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27851-8_119-13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27851-8_119-13

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27851-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Physics and AstronomyReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Chemistry, Materials and Physics

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Chapter history

  1. Latest

    Carbon Arc Lamp
    Published:
    11 May 2019

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27851-8_119-14

  2. Original

    Carbon Arc Lamp
    Published:
    06 October 2014

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27851-8_119-13

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