Foreword

Everything around us, whether natural phenomena or manmade products can be explained
through science. The product which are used in our daily life are outcome of conscious efforts
by the mankind to fulfil and exceed the needs of the present and demands of the future. Students
are taught science as part of their school curriculum, to enable them to understand the various
scientific laws and principles and also to inculcate the habit of exploring the world through the
lens of science. Quality characteristics of any product or service are decided based on the stated
and implied needs and are generally described in a document called ‘Standard’. Science and
standards are inseparable and integral aspect of any product.

Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the national standards body of India, is mandated for
establishment and promotion of standards and creating a quality ecosystem in the country. This
is achieved through developing Indian Standards on products and services through the active
involvement of relevant stakeholders and dissemination of information of such standards for
their use and implementation across all sectors of economy. Academia, as an important
stakeholder of BIS, has been contributing towards development of standards through research
activities and providing inputs related to technological advancements in product development,
their characteristics and use as well as methods of tests. BIS, on its part has also been promoting
standards in academia through a variety of programmes. This has since been institutionalized
in the form of “Standards Clubs” which are being established in educational institutions across
India to nurture the young mind as ambassadors of quality and standards and prepare them for
dealing with these aspects in future.

In this latest initiative of BIS, called "Learning Science via Standards", a series of Lesson Plans
are being made elaborating the various scientific concepts, laws and principles to help students
understand their practical applications via standards. The series comprises of a variety of
subjects for insights into the scientific laws and principles and relating them to the quality
characteristics of products used in day-to-day life products. Student would also understand as
to how the same scientific law or principle applies to many products having similar
characteristics. The subjects have also been chosen based on their relevance to education as
part of the course curriculum as well as to industrial applications.

The Lesson Plans are expected to serve as a useful tool for the teaching fraternity for imparting
knowledge on scientific laws and principles through their practical applications in activities
and products around us and facilitate an interactive learning experience for the students.
Page 1 of 12 LED Bulbs
LED Bulbs Page 2 of 12
 LED Bulbs
LED bulbs, or light-emitting diode bulbs, are a type of lighting technology that has gained
popularity in recent years due to their energy efficiency and longevity. They use less energy than
traditional incandescent bulbs and can last up to 25 times longer.

The history of LED bulbs dates back to the early 1960s, when scientists first discovered the
phenomenon of electroluminescence. It wasn't until the 1990s, however, that LED bulbs became
commercially available, and their popularity has been steadily increasing ever since. LED bulbs
have a wide range of applications, from household lighting to streetlights and automotive lighting.
They are also used in electronic devices, such as smartphones and televisions.

The working of LED bulbs involves a process called electroluminescence, in which electrons are
released by a semiconductor material and then recombine with positively charged "holes,"
releasing energy in the form of light. The color of the light depends on the material used in the
semiconductor. LED bulbs also use a heat sink to dissipate heat, which can damage the bulb. The
materials used in LED bulbs include a semiconductor material, such as gallium arsenide or
gallium phosphide, and a variety of other materials, such as phosphors and lenses, to control the
color and brightness of the light.

1. Diode

Diodes are semiconductor devices that allow current to flow in one direction, but not the other.
They are also known as rectifiers, as they can change alternating current (AC) into pulsating direct
current (DC). They have polarity, with an anode (positive lead) and cathode (negative lead). When
a diode allows current flow, it is forward-biased. When a diode is reverse-biased, it acts as an
insulator.

Page 3 of 12 LED Bulbs

 Do you know?

• Diodes can also be used to make clippers.

• There are different types of diodes that are made by changing basic construction.
• LED is also a type of diode.

2. Light

Light is an electromagnetic wave that travels at very high speeds. It is made up of different colors
(visible light) that can be detected by our eyes, as well as other types of light that we cannot see,
such as radio waves and x-rays. Some animals, like bees, can see ultraviolet light, which can cause
sunburn. Light waves do not need anything to travel through and can move through empty space.
They travel at a speed of 186,000 miles per second, which is very fast.

Do you know?

• Light is said to have a dual nature, behaving as both a particle (energy

particles of Planck, or photons) and a wave (electromagnetic).
• Such phenomena as the Compton effect, Photoelectric effect, and diffraction,
interference, and polarization are explained by the wave theory of light.
• De-Broglie proposed that particles also have wave-like properties and
proposed a formula to calculate wavelength based on momentum. He also
proposed the Kinetic Energy formula and one to calculate the wavelength
based on potential difference.
• The quantum theory of light was extended by Einstein to explain Black Body
Radiation, proposing that energy is not distributed continuously but in
discrete packets called quanta

3. Light emitting diode

LEDs are a type of semiconductor called "Light Emitting Diode" which emit light when a
sufficient forward voltage is applied. LEDs are available as both a lamp type (leaded) and a chip
type (surface mount). LED colors can be customized by using different materials and two
specifications for wavelength are used to indicate color. White light can be generated using either

LED Bulbs Page 4 of 12

 a blue LED with yellow phosphor or a combination of red, green and blue LEDs. ROHM's lineup
of Light Emitting Diodes includes a variety of types.

An LED lamp or LED light bulb is an electric light that

produces light using light-emitting diodes (LEDs). LED
lamps are significantly more energy-efficient than
equivalent incandescent lamps and can be significantly
more than most fluorescent lamps.

Commercial LED lamps have a lifespan many times

longer than incandescent lamps. LED lamps require an
electronic LED circuit to operate from mains power
lines.

LEDs come to full brightness immediately with no warm-up delay. Frequent switching on and off
does not reduce life expectancy as with fluorescent lighting. Nowadays, LED lamps are usually
drop-in replacements for incandescent or fluorescent lamps.

LED bulbs may use multiple LED packages for improved light dispersal, heat dissipation, and
overall cost. LED bulb packaging may show the light output in lumen, the power consumption in
watts, the color temperature in Kelvin or a color description such as "warm white", "cool white"
or "daylight", the operating temperature range, and sometimes the equivalent wattage of an
incandescent bulb delivering the same output in lumen.

Do you know??

• Energy can neither be created nor be destroyed. It can only be converted from one
form to another form.
• By LED, we can convert electrical energy to Light energy

Think and tell - What other forms of energy we get by converting electrical energy?

4. Principle

An LED bulb has an array of Light Emitting Diode. In a light emitting diode, the recombination
of electrons and electron holes in a semiconductor produces light (be it infrared, visible or UV),
a process called "electroluminescence".
Page 5 of 12 LED Bulbs
The working Principle, Construction and
Application LED (Light Emitting Diode) is an
optoelectronic device which works on the
principle of electro-luminance. Electro-
luminance is the property of the material to
convert electrical energy into light energy.

It is specially doped p-n junction diode made

up of specific type of semiconductors. When
the light emitting diode light is forward biased,
then it emits light either in visible region or
infra-red region.

The wavelength of the light depends on the energy

band gap of the semiconductors used. Since these
materials have a high index of refraction, design
features of the devices such as special optical
coatings and die shape are required to efficiently
emit light.

The light emitting diode works like a normal P-N

junction diode. When the diode is forward biased,
then the current flows through the diode. The flow
of current in the semiconductors is caused by the both flow of holes in the opposite direction of
current and flow of electrons in the direction of the current. Hence there will be recombination
due to the flow of these charge carriers. The recombination indicates that the electrons in the
conduction band jump down to the valence band. When the electrons jump from one band to
another band the electrons will emit the electromagnetic energy in the form of photons and the
photon energy is equal to the forbidden energy gap (Eg).

Eg = h x f

Where h is known as a Planck constant, and f is the frequency of the emitted electromagnetic
radiation.

LED Bulbs Page 6 of 12

 The frequency of radiation is related to the velocity of light as,

f = c / λ.

Where c is the speed of light, and λ is denoted as a wavelength of an electromagnetic radiation

and the above equation will become as

Eg = h c / λ

From the above equation, we can say that the wavelength of electromagnetic radiation is inversely
proportional to the forbidden gap.

For LED the wavelength of the emitted photon, lies in the visible or infrared region.

5. I-V Characteristics of LED

There are different types of light emitting diodes

are available in the market and there are different
LED characteristics which include the color light,
or wavelength radiation, light intensity. The
important characteristic of the LED is color.

Materials Used in LEDS Silicon or germanium

diodes do not emit energy in the form of light.
Instead, they emit energy in the form of heat. Thus,
silicon or germanium is not used for constructing
LEDs.

6. LED Bulbs

Self-Ballasted LED Lamp — Unit which cannot be dismantled without being permanently
damaged, provided with a lamp cap and incorporating a LED light source and any additional
elements necessary for stable operation of the light source.

LED lamps are made with standard lamp connections and shapes, such as an Edison screw base,
an with a bi-pin base, and are made compatible with the voltage supplied to the sockets. They
include driver circuitry to rectify the AC power and convert the voltage to an appropriate value,

Page 7 of 12 LED Bulbs

A standard general-purpose incandescent bulb emits light at an efficiency of about 14 to 17
lumens/W depending on its size and voltage. According to the European Union standard, an
energy-efficient lamp that claims to be the equivalent of a 60 W tungsten lamp must have a
minimum light output of 806 lumens.

The LED lamp will require less power to produce the same level of brightness as an incandescent
lamp. We use light bulbs every day to brighten up our homes, dark corridors, streets and many
more. Two common types of light bulbs are the incandescent light bulb and the LED light bulb.
Both types of light bulbs have their advantages and disadvantages. The choice of which type of
light bulb to be used may depend on factors such as cost, lifespan and power consumption.

Incandescent light bulbs produce light by heating a filament. The current that flows through the
filament will cause it to become so hot that light will be produced. The filaments are housed in a
glass bulb which contains either a vacuum or an inert gas, to prevent the oxidization of the
filament. They are very affordable and can be used with alternating currents (AC) or direct
currents (DC). Incandescent lamps are used in homes, commercial buildings, automobile lighting,
torchlight and many other applications.

LED lamps produce light using light emitting diodes. Normally, the light generated by a single
LED bulb will be of a much lower intensity compared to an incandescent lamp. This is the reason
why LED lamps will contain many individual LED bulbs to produce the same brightness. LED
lamps work on direct currents and therefore need step down and rectifier circuitry to work with
an AC power source.

7. Activity

For this activity, the independent variable is the type of light bulb used – incandescent bulb
and LED bulbs. The dependent variable is the brightness of the bulbs. This is determined
by measuring the brightness using a lux meter. The constants (control variables) are the
distance of the lux meter from the light bulb, the temperature of the room (which will remain
at room temperature) and the power rating of the incandescent lamp.

Wire the cables and the plug to the incandescent bulb socket and the LED lamp socket. Test
the incandescent bulb and the LED bulb before starting this experiment.

LED Bulbs Page 8 of 12

 Place the lux meter 1000mm from the surface of the incandescent lamp. Turn on the
incandescent lamp. Measure the luminous intensity indicated in the lux meter. Record the
measurement in a table, as shown below.

Disconnect the incandescent lamp from the power socket and connect the LED lamp socket.
Test the luminous intensity of the 1.5W, 3.0W, 4.5W, 6.0W, 7.5W, 9.0W, and 10.5W LED
bulbs by placing the lux meter 1 meter from the surface. Record the measured reading in a
table,

Observation: It may be observed that the 60W incandescent lamp provided the same
brightness as a 7.5W LED lamp, showing that LED lamps provide the same brightness at a
lower wattage and power consumption compared to the incandescent lamps. Thus, LED
bulbs are energy savers.

8. Some important requirements

The lamps shall be so designed and constructed that in normal use they function reliably and cause
no danger to the user or surroundings. All the safety requirements of Self - Ballasted led lamps
for general lighting services are covered in IS 16102 (Part 1) : 2012. All the performance
requirements of Self - Ballasted led lamps for general lighting services are covered in IS 16102
(Part 2) : 2017.

Some important requirements are:

a) Cap Interchangeability: The test is required so that, the bayonet cap may be verified for
interchangeability. Otherwise, it may not be ensured.

b) Bending Moment, Axial Pull and Mass: These parameters ensure that Bulb sustains the
requisite bending moment and pull during the normal life cycle.

c) Protection against Accidental Contact with Live Parts: The test is essential to ensure
safety from live parts, i.e., to thwart shock.

d) Insulation resistance and electric strength after humidity treatment: Insulation

resistance and electric strength shall be adequate between live parts of the lamp and

Page 9 of 12 LED Bulbs

 accessible parts of the lamp, so as to avoid any leakage current, as the weather of Indian
subcontinent is tropical thus a small amount of leakage current may cause electric shock.

e) Torsion Resistance: The torsion resistance of lamps is tested by subjecting it to the

specified torque levels.

9. Marking

Marking on the LED is of utmost importance as it informs about the technical details of
performance and Safety. Lamps shall be clearly and durably marked with the following mandatory
markings:

a) Mark of origin (this may take the form of a trade-mark, the manufacturer’s name or
the name of the responsible vendor);
b) Rated voltage or voltage range (marked ‘V’ or ‘Volt’);
c) Rated wattage (marked ‘W’ or ‘Watts’);
d) Rated lumen;
e) Rated frequency (marked in ‘Hz’);
f) Country of manufacture; and
g) Mark of symbol on high temperature.

In addition, the following information shall be given by the lamp manufacturer on the lamp or
immediate lamp wrapping or container or in installation instructions:

a) Burning position, if restricted, shall be marked with the appropriate symbol. S

b) Rated current (marked ‘A’ or ‘ampere’).
c) For lamps with a weight significantly higher than that of the lamps for which they are
a replacement, attention should be drawn to the fact that the increased weight may
reduce the mechanical stability of certain luminaires and lamp holders and may impair
contact making and lamp retention.
d) Special conditions or restrictions which shall be observed
for lamp operation, for example operation in dimming
circuits. Where lamps are not suitable for dimming, the
following symbol in Fig. 1 may be used:
e) For eye protection, see requirements of IS 16108.

LED Bulbs Page 10 of 12

 f) BIS Certification marking: The self-ballasted LED lamps may also be marked with
the Standard Mark.

10. Interesting facts about LED bulbs:

a) The first practical LED was invented in 1962 by Nick Holonyak Jr., a researcher at
General Electric. Holonyak's invention used a material called gallium arsenide phosphide
to produce red light.

b) The first LED bulbs were not very bright and were primarily used as indicator lights in
electronic devices.

c) In the 1990s, researchers discovered how to produce blue light using a material called
gallium nitride. This breakthrough paved the way for the development of brighter, more
efficient LEDs that could produce a full spectrum of colors.

d) The development of white LEDs was a major milestone in LED technology, as it allowed
LEDs to be used for general lighting applications. White LEDs are produced by combining
a blue LED with a phosphor coating that converts some of the blue light to other colors,
resulting in a white light.

e) The energy efficiency of LED bulbs is a major advantage over traditional incandescent
bulbs. LED bulbs use 75% less energy and last up to 25 times longer than incandescent
bulbs.

f) LED bulbs are more environmentally friendly than traditional incandescent bulbs, as they
use less energy and contain no hazardous materials, such as mercury.

g) They also emit less heat than incandescent bulbs, making them safer to use.

Page 11 of 12 LED Bulbs

Forthcoming Lesson Plans…

Sl. No. Subject Sl. No. Subject

1. Ballpoint pen 27. Microwave Oven
2. Bicycle 28. Milk Powder
3. Boric Acid 29. Multipurpose dry batteries
4. Cables 30. Paints
5. Caustic Soda 31. Pasteurized Milk
6. Ceiling fan 32. Paving Block
7. Cement 33. Plugs and Socket
8. Cement Ash Brick 34. Plywood
9. Ceramics Tiles 35. Power Threshers
10. CNG Cylinders 36. Precast Concrete
11. Conduits 37. Pressure Cooker
12. Drinking Water 38. PVC Pipes
13. Electric Iron 39. Rear View Mirrors
14. Electric Mixer 40. Refrigerator
15. Family Sized Biogas Plant 41. Solar Flat Plate Collector
16. Fire Extinguisher 42. Solid and Hollow Block
17. Football 43. Stainless Steel
18. Gas Stove 44. Steel Bar
19. LPG Gas Cylinders 45. Submersible Pump set
20. Geosynthetics 46. Thermometer
21. Geyser 47. Tyres for buses and trucks
22. Headphones 48. Vacuum Flask
23. Hearing Aids 49. Water Meter
24. Helmet 50. Water Storage Tank
25. LED bulb 51. Weighing balance
26. Loudspeakers 52. Wheel Rim

…Keep looking for other Lesson Plans in the series

LED Bulbs Page 12 of 12