A fluorescent bulb burns cooler and lasts longer than incandescent and halogen bulbs. It's also much more efficient in its use of electricity, making it cheaper to operate. And today's fluorescent bulbs can match or exceed the color range of incandescent bulbs. The general light illuminating a room. Lumens, the scientific measurement, describes light intensity based on the illumination provided by a single candle.
Wattage is a practical way of measuring light.
Take a look at the packaging the next time you buy bulbs and you'll notice both watt and lumens ratings. For instance, a typical 60W incandescent bulb provides approximately 840 lumens of light. Fluorescent bulbs provide considerably more light than incandescents. For example, a typical 40W fluorescent bulb has a lumens rating of around 3,000. Today's Homeowner, a division of Times Mirror Magazines.