What Does Led Stand For and How Does It Work - Short Guide

There was a time when the everyday conveniences of today’s technology were hard to imagine. One of those was the incandescent bulb, which transformed our lives tremendously.

Now another technological game-changer has emerged – LED. There is a good chance you’re reading this article through lights emitted by LEDs. Now they’re everywhere and (without exaggeration) are changing the world.

But what does LED stand for? 

Let me explain.

What Does LED Stand For?

The LED acronym stands for Light-Emitting Diode. The diode is an electrical component used in many technologies, such as TVs, radios, and computers. It’s built to emit bright light when an electric current passes through it.
LEDs were put into use in the sixties when they were an exciting but expensive new technology. People used them in handheld calculators and other similar devices. 

With development and research, the technology advanced until it reached its current form. 

LEDs are now more efficient and cheaper. We see them in many lighting applications and all sorts of devices. Many kinds of them exist – from high-powered to miniature ones along with multicolored variations, and many others.
LED technology is taking over the industry for a reason – with its efficiency and reliability, it surpasses incandescent lights in every category.

How Do LEDs Work?

The function of LED is similar to the standard incandescent bulb’s, except LEDs contain no filament and can be much smaller.

An LED bulb produces light by passing an electric current through a semiconducting metal element – the diode. It then emits photons, which are the particles of electromagnetic energy we see as light. That happens through the principle of electroluminescence (material emitting light when an electric current passes through it).
Different semiconducting materials in the diode produce different light colors and intensities.

What Is LED Used For?

Nowadays, we’ve found a wide range of utilizations, including:

• Light bulbs: LEDs are on their way to replace incandescent light bulbs. With time, we see fewer fluorescents too.
• Displays: Even in the early days, people used LEDs in calculators, watches, advertising signs, and transportation displays. Now they’re the standard in modern screens, from touchscreen mobile phones to TVs. 
• Other applications: We use them in all kinds of appliances and consumer electronics. The infrared transmitter on your TV remote control is an LED. They’re also used in indicator lights, laser devices, automotive headlamps, machine vision systems, etc.

Importance

The real impact of LED technology goes well beyond our brightly lit gadgets. 

When it comes to energy efficiency, it’s a real problem solver. They have proven to be the most efficient bulbs. 

According to the US department of energy, LED bulbs use at least 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs and last up to 25 times longer. That’s because incandescents lose up to 80% of their energy in the form of heat. LEDs are also more efficient than CFL (compact fluorescent lighting) bulbs and have double the lifespan.
Why is LED’s efficiency so important? Lighting accounts for 20-30% of global electricity consumption and 6% of greenhouse gas emissions. LED lighting has the greatest potential impact on energy savings globally. 

Wrap-Up

The small, energy-efficient light-emitting diodes started a lighting revolution and are now part of almost every electronic gadget. Without them, much of what we use today wouldn't be possible.

LED’s efficiency has proven to be superior to other light technologies, and the positive implications of that go beyond saving on your electricity bill. With global warming generating catastrophic effects on the planet, the need for energy efficiency is bigger than ever.