Light_Vocabulary


 * Cathode:** an electrode that emits electrons. A fluorescent lamp cathode emits or discharges electrons to the cathode at the other end of the lamp (light bulb).
 * ChromaFit:** A GE brand name for metal halide lamps designed to operate on HPS ballasts, allowing a user to switch from the yellowish color of HPS to the white color of metal halide without changing ballasts. These products are available in both quartz metal halide and ceramic metal halide (CMH) versions.
 * Dimmer:** a device in an electrical circuit used for varying the brightness of lamps in a lighting installation.
 * IP Ratings:** Ingress Protection (IP) ratings, developed by the European Committee for Electro Technical Standardization, are used to specify the environmental protection an enclosure provides to the electrical equipment inside that enclosure.
 * Lumen:** a unit of measure used to describe the amount of light that a light source produces or emits. For reference please consult the table below.
 * Mesopic:** Typically referring to nighttime outdoor lighting conditions, the region between PHOTOPIC and SCOTOPIC vision.
 * MR11 Lamp:** a halogen metalized reflector lamp (light bulb) that measures 11/8 inches in diameter and which directs a sharp, well-defined beam of light. To learn more about this topic click MR11 Low Voltage Halogen Lamps.
 * MR16 Lamp:** a halogen mirrored reflector lamp that measures 16/8 inches in diameter and which directs a sharp, well-defined beam of light. To learn more about this topic click MR16 Low Voltage Halogen Lamps.
 * Neodymium:** a rare earth element discovered in 1885 with an atomic number of 60 in the Periodic Table of Elements.
 * PAR Lamp:** PAR is an acronym for a parabolic aluminized reflector. A PAR lamp, which may use an incandescent filament, a halogen filament tube, or an HID arc tube is a precision pressed-glass reflector lamp that reflects light coming from the filament much like a parabola.
 * Sconce:** an ornamental light fixture attached to a wall. Synonym: wall sconce. Not to be confused with a scone, which is a flat, round cake of wheat flour.
 * Wall Grazing:** a lighting term that refers to the dramatic highlight and shadow effects on uneven surfaces such as draperies, stone, and brick. Grazing creates easily distinguishable high and low levels of light on the irregular surface.
 * Wall Sconce:** a luminaire (light fixture) affixed to the wall and usually decorative in nature. To learn more about this topic click Valuable Information About Wall Sconces.
 * Wall Washing:** a lighting technique that produces a relatively smooth, even level of illumination on a wall that minimizes the apparent texture of the surface