We know these particles today as electrons. His discovery helped make possible the electronic age in which we live. In the l950 s, American and British scientists harnessed the power of atomic energy to generate electricity. The first electric lights were arc lights, and a flaming arc between two carbon rods produced the light. The so-called incandescent lamp has a filament of carbon, tantalum and tungsten have been used for these filaments.
Some modern lights depend upon the passage of electricity through a gas.
A mercury lamp gives off light when an electric current is passed through a mercury vapor. A lamp like this also gives off ultraviolet rays. Florescent lights too, depend on mercury vapor. They give off light when the ultraviolet rays resulting from the passage of electricity through a mercury vapor strike certain materials called phosphors. Thus, we now know how electric lighting was invented, and that is through much curiosity and perseverance of dedicated men.