How Do Sodium Street Lamps Work?
Function Sodium street lamps are a type of gas-discharge lamp. Gas discharge lamps work by running an electrical current through an ionized gas which can then be used to vaporize another material, such as sodium. For gas-discharge lamps, the electrical current passing through the gas causes some of the electrons to collide with gas and metal ions. This causes these ions to absorb energy and go up to a “higher energy” state, which is essentially a state at which the ion has stored energy. Then, when the ion goes back to its previous, lower energy level, this energy is released in the form of light. Low Pressure Sodium Lamps Low pressure sodium lamps are also known as sodium oxide lamps. They consist of a glass outer layer with a coating that reflects infrared light as well as another layer that will only let visible light out while keeping infrared light (which is heat) in. Then there are two smaller glass pipes inside that contain the sodium metal as well as a small mixture of neon and
