... into the atoms that make up the filament. The energy of each impact vibrates an atom, which means the current heats the atoms up. Bound electrons in the atoms that are vibrating are boosted temporarily to a higher energy level. When they fall back to their normal levels, the electrons release extra energy in the form of photons. Metal atoms release mostly infrared light photons, but if they are heated to a high enough level, around 2,200 degrees C, in the case of a light bulb, they will emit a good deal of visible light. The filament in a light bulb is made of a long, thin length of tungsten metal. In a typical 60-watt bulb, the tungsten filament is about 6.5 feet (2 meters) long but only one-hundredth of an inch thick. The tungsten is arranged in a double coil in order to fit it all in a small space. That ...

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