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Lecture 11: Radiometry and Photometry (4)
frgalvan

Since photons travel in straight lines, where do the photons from an illuminated light-bulb go? Do they just bounce around the inside of the bulbs enclosure? The process of converting energy is continuous, but does this mean there is discharge somewhere?

ABSchloss

If I remember correctly, photons can pass through glass because the band gap in common glass is larger than the energy created by the tungsten filament. Basically they don't have the energy to excite an electron in the glass so they pass through unchanged.

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