Explain how fluorescent tubes work

Fluorescent tubes are filled with low pressure mercury, when an electric current is passed through, the electrons in mercury are excited and move to a high energy level, this high level state is unstable and so the electron moves back to its original state, but on doing so, it emits an electromagnetic wave with energy equivalent the difference in energy level. This is UV light and the electrons in the phosphor coating inside the fluorescent tube are excited, and releases visible light when the electrons return to its orginal energy state, which provides the glow in fluorescent lights.

MW
Answered by Michael W. Physics tutor

32683 Views

See similar Physics A Level tutors

Related Physics A Level answers

All answers ▸

What is meant by the doppler effect?


Bernard says that a mass executing uniform circular motion is not accelerating as it's speed is not changing. Which parts of his statement are correct and which are false. For those which are false state why they are and give the correct version.


Explain Rutherford's alpha particle scattering experiment and what it provided evidence for


How did rutherford's gold leaf experiment prove the existence of the nucleus?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2026 by IXL Learning