Geeky question about Kelvin rating

[hashbaz]

I'm sorry to ask such a geeky question, but this is the sort of stuff engineering students do on weekends.

They say the Kelvin rating on light bulbs is a measure of the color of the light. Well the Kelvin I know is a temperature scale like Fahrenheit or Celsius. Are the two related? I thought it might have something to do EM wavelengths corresponding to black-body radiation at that temperature.

If my assumption is correct then a 5800K bulb matches the light from the sun (generally speaking) better than any else. Below this gets bad real quick and above this get gets bad - but not as quick.

Any thoughts?

 

[fishfreek]

I thought it might have something to do EM wavelengths corresponding to black-body radiation at that temperature.

Exactly. I wouldnt say going above 5800K is all that bad though.

 

[Guest]

You are correct. Kelvin is actually the color that a carbon body would radiate if heated to that temperature. With the base being of course Absolute 0.

At least that's my understanding.

And most people use bulbs in the 5000k-10000k range. I prefer 6700k, 8800k and the GE 9325K bulb.

 

[Mr Burns]

You are correct. Kelvin is actually the color that a carbon body would radiate if heated to that temperature. With the base being of course Absolute 0.

At least that's my understanding.

Correct.