Definition

Noun: A gas-discharge lamp is an electric lamp that produces light by sending an electric current through a gas or vapor contained within a sealed glass tube or bulb. The electrical discharge excites the gas atoms, causing them to emit light.

Usage

This term is used to describe a category of lighting technology. It is a technical term common in physics, engineering, and lighting design contexts.

Examples

• The bright, white light of the streetlamp comes from a gas-discharge lamp.
• Neon signs are a common and colorful type of gas-discharge lamp.
• Compared to incandescent bulbs, a gas-discharge lamp is generally more energy-efficient for large-area lighting.

Advanced Usage

• The specific color and properties of the light from a gas-discharge lamp depend heavily on the type of gas or vapor used (e.g., neon, argon, sodium, mercury) and the pressure inside the tube.

Variants and Related Words

• Discharge lamp: A common shortened form of "gas-discharge lamp."
• Vapor lamp: A specific type of gas-discharge lamp where the light-producing medium is a vaporized metal, such as in sodium-vapor or mercury-vapor lamps.
• Fluorescent lamp: A common subtype of gas-discharge lamp where the electric discharge excites a phosphor coating on the inside of the tube, which then emits visible light.
• Neon lamp: A gas-discharge lamp filled with neon gas, known for its characteristic red-orange glow.

Synonyms

• Electric-discharge lamp
• Arc lamp (a related but distinct technology where light comes from an arc between two electrodes, often in open air or a special enclosure)

Related Phrases and Terms

• Electrical discharge: The fundamental process of electric current flowing through a gas, which is the core operating principle of the lamp.
• Plasma: The state of matter inside an operating gas-discharge lamp, where the gas becomes ionized and conductive.

Noun

1. an electric lamp in which the light comes from an electric discharge between two electrodes in a glass tube