Beatrice Lang
The history of electric lamps is a fascinating story of innovation and competition. Before the advent of electric lighting, indoor activities were limited by the availability of natural light, with fire, candles, and oil lamps providing the only sources of illumination. The discovery of electricity in the 18th century revolutionized lighting, bringing brighter and safer options to homes. The first constant electric light was demonstrated in 1835, and the following decades saw intense competition among inventors to create commercially viable electric lamps. The late 19th century marked a significant period of innovation, with inventors like Joseph Swan in the UK and Thomas Edison in the US developing functional incandescent lamps. The introduction of electric lighting brought convenience and transformed everyday lives, allowing people to access light with the simple flick of a switch.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of first electric lamps in households | The first constant electric light was demonstrated in 1835. In the late 1870s and 1880s, inventors like Joseph Swan in the UK and Thomas Edison in the US developed functional incandescent lamps. |
| Early challenges | Creating a durable filament that produced a bright and steady light and achieving the best possible vacuum inside the glass bulb to prolong the filament's life. |
| Early materials | Platinum, carbon, and cotton ("parchmentized thread") |
| Pre-electric light sources | Fire in the hearth, candlelight, oil lamps |
| Arc lamps | Arc lamps were too powerful for homes, but they were used in the Opera Theatre in Paris in 1846 and in the 1860s to light the streets of New York. |
| Fluorescent lamps | American lighting companies demonstrated fluorescent lights to the U.S. Navy and at the 1939 New York World's Fair. Fluorescent lamps became widely used during the energy shortage of the 1973 oil crisis. |
| LED lamps | The first practical LED arrived in 1962, but early LEDs were inefficient and could only display deep red colors. The first high-brightness blue LED was demonstrated in 1994, leading to the development of the first 'white LED'. |
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What You'll Learn
Early artificial lighting
Before the discovery of electricity in the 18th century, artificial lighting typically came from fixed fires in grates, with candlelight or oil lamps providing additional light. Activities at home revolved around the hearth, and the wealthy used candles, often made from beeswax or spermaceti wax.
The first constant electric light was demonstrated in 1835, and the first persistent electric arc was tested by Russian physicist Vasilij Vladimirovič Petrov in 1802, leading to the creation of the arc lamp. Arc lamps were far too powerful for the home, however, and the invention of the eventual solution to electric domestic lighting—the incandescent lamp bulb—took several decades.
In the 1840s, early experimenters such as Joseph Swan and William Greener began trialling materials to make a durable filament. In 1846, the Opera Theatre in Paris became the first public building to be equipped with electric arc lamps. In 1876, a brighter, more efficient design was created by Russian telegraph engineer Pawel Jablochkov Nikolayevich, known as the Jablochkov candle. In 1877, Charles F. Brush designed his own automatically regulated arc lamp, becoming the leading American producer of the lamps.
In the late 1870s and 1880s, inventors like Joseph Swan in the UK and Thomas Edison in the US developed functional incandescent lamps. Edison and his researchers focused on improving the filament, first testing carbon, then platinum, before returning to a carbon filament. Edison worked to create bulbs with thinner filaments and a better vacuum, producing a more commercially viable light bulb.
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The first lightbulbs
The evolution of artificial lighting has been a long journey, with early humans relying on fire in the grate, candles, or oil lamps to illuminate their homes. The discovery of electricity in the 18th century paved the way for the development of brighter and safer lighting solutions.
The first constant electric light was demonstrated in 1835, marking the beginning of a 40-year journey towards the creation of the incandescent lamp. During this period, scientists worldwide experimented with different materials and designs to create a functional and commercially viable electric light bulb.
One of the earliest attempts at creating an electric light bulb was made by Warren de la Rue in 1840. He enclosed a platinum coil in a vacuum tube and passed an electric current through it. This design was efficient, but the high cost of platinum made it impractical for widespread use.
In the late 1870s and 1880s, inventors like Joseph Swan in the UK and Thomas Edison in the US made significant breakthroughs, independently developing functional incandescent lamps. Edison's focus on improving the filament and the bulb's atmosphere led to the commercialisation of his incandescent light bulb, first patented in 1879.
The rivalry between Swan and Edison eventually led to a merger, forming the Edison and Swan Electric Light Company. Their combined efforts resulted in lamps with improved filament designs, marking a pivotal step towards the widespread adoption of electric lighting in households.
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The development of arc lamps
Arc lamps were also used in early motion picture studios, but their high ultraviolet light output caused discomfort for actors, requiring them to wear sunglasses when off-camera. This issue was eventually resolved by placing an ordinary sheet of window glass in front of the lamp to block the ultraviolet rays.
Despite their effectiveness in illuminating large areas, arc lamps had several drawbacks. They emitted a strong odour and produced noise during operation. Additionally, their high brightness made them unsuitable for indoor domestic lighting. As a result, inventors like Joseph Swan and Thomas Edison began working on developing commercially viable incandescent lamp bulbs in the 1870s. By the early 20th century, incandescent lamps had completely replaced arc lamps for general lighting purposes.
Arc lamps continued to find specialised applications where high-intensity lighting was required, such as in searchlights, movie projectors, and floodlights. The development of the xenon arc lamp further expanded the use of arc lamps in applications like movie projectors and searchlights, replacing the carbon arc in many instances.
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The invention of the incandescent lamp
One of the earliest attempts at creating an electric light source was made by Russian physicist Vasilij Vladimirovič Petrov in 1802, who tested the first persistent electric arc, leading to the development of arc lamps. These early arc lamps produced an intense light and heat, but they required frequent manual adjustments due to electrode erosion. Despite their drawbacks, arc lamps found applications in public spaces, with the Opera Theatre in Paris becoming the first public building to adopt electric arc lamps in 1846.
The focus then shifted towards the creation of a more durable and efficient electric light source, which resulted in the invention of the incandescent lamp. British inventors played a pivotal role in demonstrating the potential of electric lighting with arc lamps, laying the groundwork for further innovations. One notable contributor was William Greener, an English inventor who made significant strides in early electric lighting with his lamp in 1846.
The late 1870s and 1880s witnessed intense competition and innovation in the field of electric lighting. Joseph Swan in the UK and Thomas Edison in the US independently developed functional incandescent lamps during this period. Edison's lamp, patented in 1879 and 1880, focused on improving the filament, experimenting with different materials such as carbon and platinum before returning to carbon. Swan's bulbs, on the other hand, were based on designs by William Staite, but their filaments were too thick.
The rivalry between Swan and Edison eventually led to a merger, forming the Edison and Swan Electric Light Company. This collaboration resulted in lamps with new filament designs by Swan, which offered improved longevity and efficiency. The introduction of the tungsten filament by William D. Coolidge in 1912 further enhanced the performance of incandescent bulbs, setting a standard for many years.
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Electric lighting in the modern day
The arrival of electricity brought light at the flick of a switch, changing everyday lives. Before the advent of electricity, candles, oil lamps, and fire in the grate provided light in homes. The discovery of electricity in the 18th century brought brighter and safer lighting to buildings and outdoor areas.
The first persistent electric arc was tested by Russian physicist Vasily Vladimirovich Petrov in 1802, and English chemist Humphry Davy gave a practical demonstration of an arc light in 1806. Carbon arc lamps, invented by Humphry Davy around 1805, were the first practical electric lights. They were used commercially in the 1870s for large building and street lighting. Arc lamps were far too powerful for homes, and the race to find a solution to electric domestic lighting began.
The invention of the incandescent lamp bulb we know today took decades. The key challenges were creating a durable filament that produced a bright and steady light and optimising the vacuum inside the glass bulb to prolong the filament's life. Early experimenters like Joseph Swan and Thomas Edison independently developed functional incandescent lamps in the late 1870s and 1880s. Edison's bulbs had thinner filaments and a better vacuum, making them more commercially viable.
In the 21st century, a worldwide phase-out of incandescent light bulbs occurred due to government regulations and consumer preference for higher energy efficiency and longer-lasting bulbs. LED lamps, which produce light through a flow of electrons across a band gap in a semiconductor, have gained popularity for their incredible efficiency, enabling greater functionality while using less power. As a result, electricity usage in the United States decreased for at least five consecutive years by 2019.
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Frequently asked questions
Before electric lighting was invented, the greatest light source indoors usually came from a fixed fire in the grate. Candles and oil lamps were also used to provide light, but they produced dim and inconsistent light.
The first constant electric light was demonstrated in 1835. Arc lamps were the first type of electric lamp to be invented, with the first persistent electric arc tested by Russian physicist Vasilij Vladimirovič Petrov in 1802.
The invention of electric lamps that were suitable for domestic lighting took several decades. The main challenges were creating a durable filament that produced a bright and steady light and making the best possible vacuum inside the bulb to prolong the filament's life. By the early 1900s, arc lamps had been completely replaced by incandescent lamps, which were safer and more suitable for indoor use.
Early experimenters such as Joseph Swan and William Staite began trialling materials to make a durable filament as early as the 1840s. However, it wasn't until the 1870s that Joseph Swan and Thomas Edison independently produced commercially viable incandescent lamp bulbs.
