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Almost all of us have used flashlights at some point in our lives. It is a handy electric appliance that is used for millions of purposes around the world. A flashlight is easy to carry to ensure its portability.
So, if you are a curious fellow like I am, we both probably have had the same question in our mind. How do flashlights work?
If you don’t know what a flashlight is, do not worry. It is basically a small electric appliance that produces light. It is also known as a torch in some parts of the world.
So, this article will be a hands-on guide if you want to know how flashlights work for a project or out of simple curiosity. Let us begin, shall we?
Yes we shall!
Structure of a flashlight
To understand how flashlights work, first, we will learn about the components required for creating a flashlight. It has been brought to a straightforward structure through many modifications over time.
Here are the materials which come together to make a working flashlight:
1) Body
The body of a flashlight can be made of any material as long as it provides the flashlight’s shape. The body is generally made of plastic or aluminum to make it light-weight and easy to carry. This also reduces the cost of making the flashlight. The body is given a unique shape to accommodate the requirements of reflection for the lamp.
2) Lamp
Well, a flashlight’s primary function is to illuminate its surroundings, and for that purpose, a flashlight must contain a lamp. Now, there a few clarifications when it comes to lights in a flashlight, and I will note them down for you.
- Incandescent Light Bulbs: These are the typical lights you see at your home with a glass body and a tungsten filament just in a smaller size. This type of bulbs produce heat and has a short life, and there is a risk of it going out after a while. The light output of these bulbs depends on the type of flashlight.
- LED: Light-Emitting Diodes or LED have replaced incandescent bulbs due to their efficiency. They are powerful and produce a significantly large amount of light compared to incandescent bulbs. They are long-lasting and less fragile. It is most commonly used nowadays.
- HID: High-Intensity Discharge type of lamps are less common but produces much more light. These are much more expensive due to their complicated structure.
3) Power Source
For a flashlight to work, it needs a power source. Please don’t be impatient; I will soon explain why. This power source can be of two types.
- Primary Batteries: This is the most common type of power source. These batteries are disposable, are not very expensive, and could be of many types depending on the flashlight’s size and purpose.
- Rechargeable Batteries: These batteries are non-disposable but require charging after a specific period of usage. They can be solar powered as well.
4) Switch
Every flashlight comes with a switch that facilitates turning the flashlight on or off. It may be of different types, like a sliding switch or a button. Some flashlights may come with two kinds of controls. Also, twisting the head of the flashlight might act as a type of control in some cases.
5) Connecting Wires
A wire runs through the flashlight body, which establishes a connection between the power source, lamp, and switch of the battery. The wires are generally of zinc or copper as these metals are better carriers of electricity.
6) Reflector and lens
Around the flashlight lamp, a reflector with a parabolic shape is added so that the light is concentrated. The reflector is made of shiny polished metal material like aluminum. Meanwhile, the flashlight lens works as a protective cover for the lamp to protect it from impact. It must also concentrate the light rays for better performance and be heat resistant.
And now, after a very long read, you know how flashlights are made. This is quite important to know before knowing how a flashlight works because you have to understand how it’s made to know how it works.
We are going to talk about two particular sections of physics to explain the workings of a flashlight. I hope physics doesn’t scare you, but if it does, don’t fret. I will simplify it as much as possible.
The Circuit
A simple circuit connects a power cell, which is the source, with a lamp, which is the load. In a flashlight, the batteries work as the power cell. These are connected with positive and negative terminals of the lamp. The connecting wires inside the flashlight conduct the flow of electricity in one direction. The switch works as the key which controls the circuit by opening or closing it.
When the switch is turned on, the circuit is closed, and the battery provides a voltage that ensures electric flow. Then the lamp converts this electric energy to light energy, and as a result, we get the light from the flashlight.
Here is the circuit diagram of a flashlight where symbols represent the parts of the flashlight.
It would be best if you chose the flashlight battery according to the flashlight’s capacity. A battery can increase or decrease the lamp’s intensity, but using the wrong battery might damage the bulb. So it is preferable to choose the battery wisely.
Reflection
When the electric flow reaches the lamp, the tungsten filament or the LED starts to glow, giving off light. This light beam is not uniform. For getting peak performance, the surface around the lamp is given a parabola shape and coated with a reflector so that the scattered light can become condensed into a single beam.
This increases the intensity of light by pushing it into one direction. A flashlight works with the principle of total internal reflection, and this is achieved through the reflector. That is how flashlights produce a uniform beam of light.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How do flashlights work?
Flashlights or torches work following a very simple electric circuit. In the circuit, the power cells provide voltage for which electricity flows and lights up the lamp. When the switch gets turned on, the circuit becomes closed, and the flow of electricity lights up the bulb.
2. How does a flashlight bulb work?
The flashlight bulb serves the purpose of emitting light. The bulb lights up when electricity flows through it. The light emitted from the bulb is reflected by the reflector and condensed into a uniform, straight beam. Here, total internal reflection takes place. The bulb produces light according to the voltage provided by the cell.
3. How does a portable flashlight work?
A flashlight is made portable by making the body light-weight. It is also battery-powered, which is disposable and non-rechargeable. So, it doesn’t require charging frequently, and that allows it to be portable.
4. How does a flashlight reflector work?
A flashlight reflector is made of a polished metal surface, preferably aluminum. It is placed around the lamp so that the scattered glow emitted from the lamp gets reflected, and it can convert it into a single light beam with higher intensity.
5. What parts are there in a flashlight?
A flashlight is composed of the seven chief components.
- The body which gives shape to the flashlight
- The lamp which illuminates,
- The power cells or batteries which provide electrical current,
- the switch which turns the flashlight on or off,
- The reflector and the lens directs the light and
- It protects the bulb.
- Finally, the connecting wires build the flashlight’s total circuit and establish a connection among the components.
Conclusion
And that will be all about how flashlights work. It isn’t that complex if you understand the science behind it. It is one of the most useful things you can carry with you, and knowing how it works might come in handy at some point in your life.
