Yellow Light, Big Science: Inside High-Pressure Sodium Lamps

A science corner deep dive into high‑pressure sodium (HPS) lamps. We unpack why sodium glows yellow, what lumens per watt means in practice, and the engineering behind the arc tube, translucent PCA, xenon starter circuit, and ballast. Drawing on NIST Technical Note 59414, we explore how gas pressures, temperatures, and materials shape efficiency, color during warm‑up, and the challenges researchers tackle to push street lighting forward.

Note: This podcast was AI-generated, and sometimes AI can make mistakes. Please double-check any critical information.

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