Lightbulb filament
Description
Incandescent light bulbs used electricity to heat a metal wire, called a filament, to produce visible light. See attached image. The filament is housed in a sealed, oxygen-free chamber to prevent combustion. Tungsten was used because it has a very high melting point. these bulbs were inexpensive and easy-to-use, but eventually gave way to other, more energy efficient technologies, such as fluorescent, then LED lamps.
Synonyms and Related Terms
lightbulb filament