Flashlights
How flashlights work
There are seven main parts to the flashlight that make it work
1. Case- A very thin spring or strip of metal (usually copper or brass) that is located throughout the flashlight , making the electrical connection between the various parts – the batteries, the lamp and the switch. These parts conduct electricity and “hook everything up”, completing the circuit.
2. Contacts- Deeper grooves for easier hold.
3. Switch- The flow of electricity is activated when you push the switch into the ON position, giving you light. The flow of electricity is broken when the switch is pushed into the OFF position, thus turning off the light.
4. Reflector- A plastic part, coated with a shiny aluminum layer that rests around the lamp (bulb, LED) and redirects the light rays from the lamp to allow a steady light beam, which is the light you see emitting from the flashlight.
5. Lamp- The light source in a flashlight. In most flashlights, the lamp is either a tungsten filament (incandescent bulb) or
a light emitting diode (solid state bulb), also known as an LED. The lamp glows when electricity flows through it, thus producing visible light. Incandescent bulb must be replaced when the tungsten filament breaks. An LED
ontains a very small semiconductor (diode) that is encapsulated in epoxy. LEDs in flashlights are widely considered “unbreakable” – a lifetime lamp.
6. Lens- Clear, plastic part you see on the front of the flashlight that protects the lamp.
7. Batteries- When activated, batteries are the power source for your flashlight.
