Ballast -

A device used with an electric discharge lamp to obtain and regulate the necessary electric current.

Burn Cycle -

The burning hours per start of a lighting system. Burn cycle affects the average rated lamp life. Fluorescent lamp life is rated at 3-4 hours per burn cycle. For fluorescent systems that have longer burn cycles, the lamps will have longer than average rated life; for fluorescent systems that have shorter burn cycles, the lamps will have shorter than average rated life.

Color Rendering Index (CRI) - 

A method to rate any fluorescent lamp light according to its variance from natural outdoor light.  Natural daylight has a CRI of 100.

Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) -

The generic name for a family of small, single-ended fluorescent lamps with high color rendering and long life.  Can be used in table lamps.

Electrode -

A coated metal element that facilitates the emission of electrons to form an arc within a fluorescent lamp.

ENERGY STAR® -

ENERGY STAR® is a voluntary labeling program designed to identify and promote energy-efficient products that reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The EPA partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy in 1996 to promote the ENERGY STAR® label.

Filament -

A tungsten wire that incandesces or lights up when an electric current runs through it. The light source in an incandescent lamp.

Incandescent Lamp -

A lamp in which light is produced by the passage of an electric current through a wire.

Instant Start -

Refers to fluorescent lamps that start instantly, without pre-heating of cathodes, and without the need of starters.

Kelvin

Term used to indicate the comparative color appearance of a light source compared to a theoretical black body.

Kilowatt Hour -

One thousand watts of electric energy consumed in one hour. Example: One 1,000-watt lamp or ten 100-watt lamps burning for one hour.

Life, Average -

The estimated time a lamp will last based on continuous testing in laboratories.   For example, the 1000-hour rating is the point in time when 50% of the tested samples have burned out and 50% still shine.

Lumen -

Lumens represent amount of light emitted by a bulb.

Starter -

A device used in conjunction with a ballast for starting a lamp.