BY: Ally HallbergBY: Ally Hallberg

Will compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) save energy over incandescent light bulbs?

If we replace five incandescent light bulbs If we replace five incandescent light bulbs with CFL in our house then we will not save with CFL in our house then we will not save more than 10% energy over a time period. more than 10% energy over a time period.

CFL’s use less electricityCFL’s use less electricity

CLF’s work longerCLF’s work longer

CLF’s contain mercury which makes it CLF’s contain mercury which makes it harder to throw awayharder to throw away

CFL’s use about 75% energyCFL’s use about 75% energy

Materials Materials Needed

Note Book Clock Step Ladder Five 100 watt soft white incandescent light bulbs Five 23 watt soft white fluorescent light bulbs

23 watt is the 100 watt equivalent to incandescent

House electricity usage meter

Step by step

Directions Using the step ladder replace five light bulbs

with the fluorescent light bulbs Turn off all appliances that use household

electricity. For examples, Television, Clocks, Computer, Furnace

Turn on the five fluorescent light bulbs Go outside and write down the exact time and

reading on the electricity meter Wait four hours Turn off the five fluorescent light bulbs

Step by step Cont

Go outside and write down the exact time and reading on the electricity meter

Using the step ladder, replace the five fluorescent bulbs with incandescent bulbs

Turn on the five incandescent light bulbs Go outside and write down the exact time

and reading on the electricity meter Turn off the five incandescent light bulbs Go outside and write down the exact time

and reading on the electricity meter

Control/ Variables

The control group was CFL Test groups’ Variable was

incandescent light bulbs

Observation for ExperimentObservation for ExperimentAfter seven hours with 5 CLF’s the meter show the After seven hours with 5 CLF’s the meter show the

house used 4 kw and it was very very brighthouse used 4 kw and it was very very bright

After 6 hours and 20 minutes the After 6 hours and 20 minutes the incandescent incandescent light bulbs used 8 KW and wasn’t so brightlight bulbs used 8 KW and wasn’t so bright

DataData

– After measuring the electricity used from both bulbs the CFLs did use less.

Light Bulb TimeMins

ElectricityUsage KW

Usage per min

% total energy used

CFL 420 4 0.0095 33.33

incandescent light bulbs

380 8 0.0211 66.67

Analysis of data

• The CFL’s used approximately ½ of the electricity

• CFL are brighter • CFL’s will save money because they last

longer• CLF’s use ½ of the electricity of

incandescent light bulb

ConclusionConclusion That CFL’s do save electricity over That CFL’s do save electricity over

incandescent light bulbs incandescent light bulbs There is a big difference between There is a big difference between

CFL’s and incandescent light bulbsCFL’s and incandescent light bulbs My Hypothesis was not supportedMy Hypothesis was not supported

References References I would like to thank these websites I would like to thank these websites http://www.communicationagents.com/chris/2007/05/02/caution_about_compact_fluorescent_lighting_cfl.htm

Retrieved Sept 26 2009 (Robin Goods Communication Agents Initiative) Caution About Compact Fluorescent Lighting

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cfls.pr_cfls Retrieved Sept 26 2009 (United States Department of Energy) Retrieved Sept 26 2009 Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs for Consumers

http://www.responsiblebynature.com/brightidea Retrieved Sept 26 2009 (Excel Energy) Bright Idea

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/08/green-basics-compact-fluorescent-lightbulbs.php

Retrieved Sept 26 2009 (Colin Dunn, Treehugger.com) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compact_fluorescent_lamp (Colin Dunn,

Treehugger.com) (Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.) Co