How do CFL bulbs work?
CFL bulbs work like full-size fluorescent tubes. Mercury vapor in the bulb, excited by an electrical current, emits ultraviolet (UV) light. The UV light strikes the phosphor coating on the wall of the bulb and gives off visible light. The type of phosphor determines the color temperature and color rendition of the light. The current through the bulb is regulated by an electronic ballast built into the base of most CFL bulbs.
