Last class we conducted an experiment measuring the voltage created by a light source (a flashlight) and the differences in voltage when the color of the light source was changed. To do this, we shined a flashlight at a voltage reader connected to the same computer program we have used in previous experiments. We shined the light from different distances to measure the difference in voltage at changing lengths and placed color filters between the light source and the reader. Below is our finding using no filter:

We measured the light from distances of 1 inch, 5 inches, 7 inches, and 10 inches. As you can see from the graph above, the farther away the light source was from the reader, the smaller voltage it produced. Granted, our light source was not very powerful, you can still see the general trend from the graph. Next, we placed color filters in front of the light. This is represented in the graph below:

As you can see here, we used pink, orange, and blue fliters. The same concept is presented by each color. The farther away the light source, the smaller the voltage. By looking at the graph above, we see that the blue filter caused the most disruption between the light source and the reader, creating the least voltage from the same distances. The pink and orange filters created almost the same voltage and the light source with no filter created the highest voltage.

Low voltage lighting helps to reduce energy waste and can save you money in your home. When possible, people should use lightbulbs that produce a lower voltage to help conserve energy. While they do not produce the same light intensity, the lower voltage cable “can be buried just below the surface, rather than in a deep trench” and “because you’re dealing with greatly reduced voltage, the risks of working with electricity are minimized” (HomeDepot.com).

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/catalog/servlet/ContentView?pn=Low-Voltage_Lighting