CANDLE POWER Meaning and
Definition
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Candle power is a unit of measurement used to quantify the brightness, or luminous intensity, of a light source. It is a historical term, which has largely been replaced by the SI unit, the candela (cd). However, candle power is still occasionally used, particularly in non-technical contexts or to refer to older light sources.
Originally, candle power referred to the luminous intensity produced by a standard wax candle burning at a specific rate. The unit represented the amount of light emitted in a specific direction, measured in candelas, projected onto a surface one foot away from the source.
In modern usage, candle power often refers to the intrinsic brightness of a light source, irrespective of direction. It is typically measured using photometers, which compare the luminous intensity of the light source to that of a standard candle or other known light source.
Candle power can vary greatly depending on the light source. For instance, a small handheld flashlight might have a few candle power, while a powerful spotlight could have several thousand or even millions of candle power.
Overall, candle power serves as a historical reference point for understanding the brightness of light sources, providing a way to compare and evaluate their luminous intensity.
Common Misspellings for CANDLE POWER
- candle-power
- candelpower
- candlepower
- xandle power
- vandle power
- fandle power
- dandle power
- czndle power
- csndle power
- cwndle power
- cqndle power
- cabdle power
- camdle power
- cajdle power
- cahdle power
- cansle power
- canxle power
- cancle power
- canfle power
- canrle power
Etymology of CANDLE POWER
The term "candle power" originated in the early 19th century and is derived from the earlier unit of light measurement, "candle", which itself came from the Latin word "candela", meaning "candle" or "light".
During the 19th century, before the invention of electric light, candles were the primary source of artificial illumination. The brightness of a candle was a familiar reference point for measuring the intensity of other light sources. Thus, scientists and engineers began to develop ways to quantify light output in terms of "candle power", which represented the amount of light emitted by a standard candle.
The unit "candle power" specifically refers to the intensity of light measured in relation to the light emitted by one standard candle.
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