Lux (unit of illuminance) Lux(from Latin lux ≈ light), unit of illumination in International System of Units. Abbreviated designation: Russian lk, international lx. 1 L. ≈ illumination of a surface with an area of ​​1 m2 with a luminous flux of radiation incident on it equal to 1 lm. ═ 1 L. = 10-4 phot (unit of illumination GHS system of units).

Big Soviet encyclopedia. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. 1969-1978 .

See what "Lux (unit of illumination)" is in other dictionaries:

Lux (symbol: lx, lx) is a unit of measurement of illumination in the SI system. Lux is equal to the illumination of a surface with an area of ​​1 m² with a luminous flux of radiation incident on it equal to 1 lm. Multiples and submultiples Decimal multiples and submultiples ... Wikipedia

1. lux, constant (luxuriously equipped); cabinlux 2. luxury, a (hotel room, cabin, compartment, etc. of the highest category); live in a suite 3. suite, a; R. pl. ov, counting f. lux (unit of illumination) ... Russian word stress

1. LUX, a; m. [from lat. lux light] Phys. Unit illumination measurements. 2. LUX [from French. luxe luxury]. I. unchanged; in sign. adj. Luxuriously, comfortably equipped, distinctive high quality. Coupe l. Cabin l. Hotel l. II. A; m. Razg... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

1) (Latin lux light) a unit of illumination in the international system of units (si), equal to the illumination of a surface with an area of ​​1 m2 with a luminous flux of radiation incident on it equal to 1 lumen; abbr. designations: lx, lx. 2) (French luxe luxury lat.… … Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

LUX, ah, husband. (specialist.). Unit of illumination. II. LUX 1. a, husband The best hotel room, carriage, salon, cabin in terms of equipment and service. Live (drive, sail) in a luxury. 2. unchangeable Highest class, category, grade. Cabin l. Chocolate l. Atelier l. |… … Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

LUX 1, a, m. (special). Unit of illumination. Ozhegov's explanatory dictionary. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 … Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

This term has other meanings, see Lux (meanings). The request "lk" is redirected here; see also other meanings. Lux (from Latin lux light; Russian designation: lk, international designation: lx) unit of measurement... ... Wikipedia

I (French luxe luxury, splendor, from the Latin luxus splendor) designation of luxuriously equipped stores, hotels, compartments, cabins, and some goods. II (from the Latin lux light) unit of illumination in the International System... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

Light and radiation
Light is defined as electromagnetic radiation that causes a visual sensation in the human eye. In this case, we are talking about radiation in the range from 360 to 830 nm, which occupies a tiny part of the entire spectrum of electromagnetic radiation known to us.
Luminous flux F
Unit of measurement: lumen* [lm]. Luminous flux Ф is the entire radiation power of a light source, estimated by the light sensation of the human eye. A conventional 100 W incandescent lamp produces a luminous flux of approximately 1300 lm. A compact fluorescent fluorescent lamp with a power of 26 W creates a luminous flux of approximately 1600 lm. The luminous flux of the Sun is 3.8? 1028 lm.
Luminous Intensity I
Unit of measurement: candela** [cd]. The light source emits luminous flux F in different directions with different intensities. The intensity of light emitted in a certain direction is called luminous intensity I.
Illumination E
Unit of measurement: lux*** [lx]. Illumination E reflects the ratio of the incident luminous flux to the illuminated area. Illumination is equal to 1 lux if the luminous flux of 1 lm is evenly distributed over an area of ​​1 m2
Brightness L
Unit of measurement: candela per square meter[cd/m2]. The luminous brightness L of the light source or illuminated area is the main factor for the level of light sensation of the human eye.
Colorful temperature
Unit of measurement: Kelvin**** [K]. The color temperature of the light source is determined by comparison with the so-called "black body" and is displayed by the "black body line". If the temperature of the “black body” increases, then the blue component in the spectrum increases, and the red component decreases. An incandescent lamp with warm white light has, for example, a color temperature of 2700 K, while a fluorescent lamp with daylight color has a color temperature of 6000 K.

Common colors of light
There are the following three main colors of light: warm white 5000 K.

Color rendition
Depending on where the lamps are installed and the task they perform, artificial light should provide the best possible color perception (as in natural daylight). This capability is determined by the color rendering characteristics of the light source, which are expressed in terms of different degrees of "general color rendering index" Ra. Color rendering index reflects the level of correspondence between the natural color of a body and the visible color of that body when illuminated by a reference light source. To determine the value, the Ra color shift is recorded using the eight standard reference colors specified in DIN 6169, which is observed when the light of the light source under test is directed towards these reference colors. The smaller the deviation of the color of the light emitted by the lamp under test from the reference colors, the better the color rendering characteristics of this lamp. A light source with a color rendering index of Ra = 100 emits light that optimally reflects all colors, like the light of a reference light source. The lower the Ra value, the worse the colors of the illuminated object are reproduced.

* One lumen is equal to the luminous flux emitted by a point isotropic source, with a luminous intensity equal to one candela, into a solid angle of one steradian (1 lm = 1 cd x sr). The total luminous flux created by an isotropic source with a luminous intensity of one candela is equal to 4n lumens.

** Candela (designation: cd, cd; from Latin candela - candle) is equal to the intensity of light emitted in a given direction by a source of monochromatic radiation with a frequency of 540·1012 hertz, the energy intensity of which in this direction is (1/683) W /avg.

*** Lux (designation: lux, lx) - a unit of illumination measurement, equal to the illumination of a surface with an area of ​​1 m? with a luminous flux of radiation incident on it equal to 1 lm

**** Kelvin (designation: K) is a unit of measurement of temperature, one kelvin is equal to 1/273.16 of the thermodynamic temperature of the triple point of water. The beginning of the scale (0 K) coincides with absolute zero. Conversion to degrees Celsius. C = K - 273.15

Light is something without which nothing on Earth would be able to exist. Like all physical quantities, it can be calculated, which means there is a unit of measurement luminous flux. What is it called and what is it equal to? Let's find answers to these questions.

What is "luminous flux" called?

First of all, it is worth understanding what this term is called in physics.

Luminous flux is the power of light emission, assessed by the light sensation it produces from the point of view of the human eye. This is a quantitative characteristic of the radiation of a light source.

The numerically considered quantity is equal to the energy of the light flux passing through a certain surface per unit time.

Luminous flux unit

How is the physical quantity in question measured?

According to current standards The SI (International System of Units) uses a specialized unit called the lumen.

This word was derived from the Latin noun meaning "light" - lūmen. By the way, this word also gave rise to the name of the secret organization “Illuminati,” which became a subject of general interest several years ago.

In 1960, the lumen officially began to be used throughout the world as a unit of measurement of luminous flux, and remains so to this day.

In abbreviated form in Russian, this unit is written as “lm”, and in English - lm.

It is worth noting that in many countries the light power of light bulbs is measured not in watts (as in the vast expanses of the former USSR), but rather in lumens. In other words, overseas consumers consider not the amount of energy consumed, but the strength of the light emitted.

By the way, because of this, the packaging of most modern energy-saving light bulbs contains information about their characteristics in both watts and lumens.

Formula

The unit of measurement of luminous flux under consideration is numerically equal to light from a point isotropic source (with a force of candela) emitted into a solid angle equal to one steradian.

In the form of a formula, it looks like this: 1 lm = 1 cd x 1 avg.

If we take into account that a complete sphere forms a solid angle of 4P sr, it turns out that the total luminous flux of the above source with a power of one candela is equal to 4P lm.

What is "candela"

Having learned what a lumen is, you should pay attention to the unit associated with it. We are talking about CD - that is, candela.

This name was derived from the Latin word for “candle” (candela). From 1979 to this day it is according to the SI (International System of Units).

In fact, one candela is the intensity of light emitted by one candle (hence the name). It is worth noting that in the Russian language for a long time, instead of the term “candela”, the word “candle” was used. However, this name is outdated.

From the previous paragraph it is clear that lumen and candela are related (1 lm = 1 cd x 1 sr).

Lumens and Luxes

When considering the features of such a light value as a lumen, it is worth paying attention to such a close concept as “lux” (lx).

Like candelas and lumens, luxes also refer to lighting units. Lux is a unit of illumination used in the SI system.

The relationship between lux and lumen is as follows: 1 lux is equal to 1 lm of luminous flux, evenly distributed over a surface of 1 square meter. Thus, in addition to the above lumen formula (1 lm = 1 cd x 1 sr), this unit has one more: 1 lm = 1 lx/m2.

In simpler terms, a lumen is an indicator of the amount of light emitted by a certain source, for example, the same light bulb. But lux shows how light the room really is, since not all light rays reach the illuminated surface. In other words, lumen is the light that came out of the source, lux is the amount of it that actually reached the illuminated surface.

As already mentioned, not all the emitted light always reaches the illuminated surface, because often in the path of such rays there are obstacles that create shadows. And the more there are on the way, the less illumination there is.

For example, when the library hall was built, many light bulbs were hung in it. General illumination this empty room was equal to 250 lux. But when renovation work were completed and furniture was brought into the hall, the light level dropped to 200 lux. This is despite the fact that the light bulbs, as before, produced the same amount of lumens of light energy. However, in the path of each of its rays, obstacles now appeared in the form of shelves with books and other library furniture, as well as visitors and employees. Thus, they absorbed part of the emitted light, reducing the total amount of illumination to the hall.

The situation given as an example is not an exception of its kind. Therefore, when constructing any new buildings or decorating the interior of existing ones, it is always important to take into account its illumination. Most institutions even have a system of lighting standards; naturally, it is measured in lux.

In the modern world, there are several programs in which you can not only simulate the design of your room yourself, but also calculate how light it will be. After all, the vision of its inhabitants depends on this.

Lumen and Watt

In the past, in our country, when choosing a light bulb, we were guided by the number of watts it consumes. The more of them, the better the light of this device.
Today, even in our country, radiation power is increasingly measured in lumens. In this regard, some believe that lm and W are quantities of the same kind, which means that lumens to watts and vice versa can be freely converted, like some other SI units.

This opinion is not entirely correct. The fact is that both units of measurement under consideration are used for different quantities. So, a watt is not a light unit, but an energy unit that shows the power of a lighting source. While lumen shows how much light a particular device emits.

For example, a regular incandescent lamp that consumes 100 watts produces 1340 lumens of light. At the same time, its more advanced (today) LED “sister” produces 1000 lm while consuming only 13 W. Thus, it turns out that the light intensity of a light bulb is not always directly dependent on the amount and power of energy absorbed by it. The substance used for lighting in the device also plays an important role in this matter. This means that there is no direct relationship between lumens and watts.

Moreover, these quantities are really related to each other. The luminous efficiency of any light source (the relationship between the energy consumed and the amount of light produced) is measured in lumens per watt (lm/W). It is this unit that is evidence of the effectiveness of a particular lighting device, as well as its efficiency.

It is worth noting that if necessary, it is still possible to convert lumens to watts and vice versa. But for this you need to take into account several additional nuances.

• The nature of the light source. Which lamp is used in the calculations: incandescent, LED, mercury, halogen, fluorescent, etc.
• Light output of the device (how much watt it consumes and how many lumens it produces).

However, in order not to complicate your life, to carry out such calculations, you can simply use an online calculator or download a similar program to your computer or other device.

Multiples of Lumen Units

Lumen, like all its “relatives” in the SI system, has a number of standard multiples and submultiples. Some are used for ease of calculation when one has to deal with either too small or too large values.

If we are talking about the latter, then they are written in the form of a positive degree, if about the former - in the form of a negative one. Thus, the largest multiple unit of lumen - iottalumen - is equal to 10 24 lm. It is most often used to characterize cosmic bodies. For example, the luminous flux of the Sun is 36300 Ilm.

The most commonly used units are four multiples: kilolumen (10 3), megalumen (10 6), gigalumen (10 9) and teralumen (10 12).

Lumen subunits

The smallest submultiple unit lumen is ioctolumen - ilm (10 -24), however, like iottalumen, it is practically not used in real calculations.

The most commonly used units are millilumen (10 -3), microlumen (10 -6) and nanolumen (10 -9).

Any light source is a source of luminous flux, and the greater the luminous flux that hits the surface of the illuminated object, the better this object is visible. A physical quantity numerically equal to the luminous flux incident per unit area of ​​the illuminated surface is called illumination.

Illumination is denoted by the symbol E, and its value is found using the formula E = Ф/S, where Ф is the luminous flux, and S is the area of ​​the illuminated surface. In the SI system, illumination is measured in Lux (Lx), and one Lux is the illumination at which the luminous flux incident on one square meter of the illuminated body is equal to one Lumen. That is, 1 Lux = 1 Lumen / 1 Sq.m.

As an example, here are some typical illumination values:

Sunny day in mid-latitudes - 100,000 lux;

Cloudy day in mid-latitudes - 1000 Lux;

A bright room illuminated by the rays of the sun - 100 Lux;

Artificial lighting on the street - up to 4 lux;

Light at night with a full moon - 0.2 Lux;

The light of the starry sky on a dark moonless night is 0.0003 Lux.

Imagine that you are sitting in dark room with a flashlight and trying to read a book. To read, you need an illumination of at least 30 Lux. What will you do? First, you bring the flashlight closer to the book, which means the illumination is related to the distance from the light source to the illuminated object. Secondly, you place the flashlight at a right angle to the text, which means the illumination also depends on the angle at which this surface is illuminated. Thirdly, you can simply get a more powerful flashlight, since it is obvious that the illumination is greater, the higher the light intensity of the source.

Let's say a light flux hits some screen located at some distance from the light source. Let us double this distance, then the illuminated part of the surface will increase in area by 4 times. Since E = Ф/S, the illumination will decrease by as much as 4 times. That is, illumination is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from a point source of light to the illuminated object.

When a beam of light falls at right angles to a surface, the luminous flux is distributed over smallest area, if the angle is increased, the area will increase and, accordingly, the illumination will decrease.

As noted above, illumination is directly related to the intensity of light, and the greater the intensity of light, the greater the illumination. It has long been established experimentally that illumination is directly proportional to the intensity of the light source.

Of course, the illumination decreases if the light is obstructed by fog, smoke or dust particles, but if the illuminated surface is located at right angles to the light source, and the light propagates through clean, transparent air, then the illumination is determined directly by the formula E = I / R2, where I is the luminous intensity, and R is the distance from the light source to the illuminated object.

In America and England, the unit of illumination used is Lumen per square foot or Foot-Candela, as a unit of illumination from a source with a luminous intensity of one candela, and located at a distance of one foot from the illuminated surface.

Researchers have proven that through the retina of the human eye, light affects processes occurring in the brain. For this reason, insufficient illumination causes drowsiness and inhibits ability to work, and excessive illumination, on the contrary, excites, helps to activate additional resources of the body, however, wearing them out if this happens unjustifiably.

During the daily operation of lighting installations, a decrease in illumination is possible, therefore, to compensate this deficiency, even at the design stage of lighting installations, a special safety factor is introduced. It takes into account the decrease in illumination during operation lighting fixtures due to contamination, loss of reflective and transmitting properties of reflective, optical, and other elements of devices artificial lighting. Surface contamination, lamp failure, all these factors are taken into account.

For natural lighting, a reduction coefficient of KEO (natural illumination coefficient) is introduced, because over time, the translucent fillers of light openings may become dirty, and the reflective surfaces of the premises may become dirty.

The European standard defines lighting standards for different conditions, so for example, if in the office there is no need to consider small parts, then 300 Lux is enough, if people work at a computer - 500 Lux is recommended, if drawings are made and read - 750 Lux.

Illumination is measured with a portable device - a lux meter. Its operating principle is similar to a photometer. Light hits the surface, stimulating a current in the semiconductor, and the amount of current produced is precisely proportional to the illumination. There are analog and digital light meters.

Often the measuring part is connected to the device with a flexible spiral wire so that measurements can be taken in the most inaccessible, yet important places. The device is supplied with a set of light filters to adjust the measurement limits taking into account the coefficients. According to GOST, the instrument error should be no more than 10%.

When measuring, follow the rule that the device must be positioned horizontally. It is installed one by one at each required point, according to the scheme of GOST R 54944-2012. GOST, among other things, takes into account security lighting, emergency lighting, evacuation lighting and semi-cylindrical lighting, and also describes the measurement method.

Measurements for artificial and natural are carried out separately, and it is important that no random shadow falls on the device. Based on the results obtained, using special formulas, a general assessment is made, and a decision is made whether something needs to be adjusted, or whether the illumination of the room or area is sufficient.

Andrey Povny

All professional electricians are familiar with the concept of calculating room illumination. This operation must be carried out for every room in the house. It is definitely the foundation of lighting in general.

In our article today, we will try to understand a number of issues related to this procedure. Amateur electricians do not understand much, so we explain everything to the smallest detail.

The calculation of lighting in both residential and industrial premises must be carried out with high accuracy. The state of human health and a comfortable pastime in this room directly depend on these indicators.

If the room has insufficient or excessive illumination, this factor will play a role on the psychological state of a person, and will also bring some consequences for the visual organ. To avoid such troubles, this process must be planned.

We determine the calculation of illumination for a living space

For this method, it is necessary to perform a number of preliminary actions, for example, calculate the number of lighting fixtures per room, and let’s start with this:

• For this we need a formula, where

N is the number of lighting fixtures;

E - indicator of lighting values ​​in a horizontal position, measured in Lux;

S is the area of ​​the room in which the calculation is carried out;

Kr is a reserve coefficient characterizing the excess level of illumination. It is provided in case of failure of a certain number of lamps;

U is a coefficient that determines the possibility of using the device;

n is the number of light bulbs that the lighting fixture contains;

Fl is the light emission of one light bulb, Lm.

• Next we need to find the room index using the formula:

To make accurate calculations, you need to measure the height of the lamp and the height of the proposed zone for which the illumination is being calculated, the values ​​a and b are the lengths of the walls, which also need to be determined;

Auxiliary methods for determining room illumination

In addition to the basic mathematical method of determining the lighting level for the required area, there are more simplified options, which are also regularly used at home.

Calculation by power density . This tactic is quite simple, since all the reference data is available. Among the shortcomings, the only thing that can be highlighted is that the calculation is obtained with a large excess. To determine the specific power value, you need to multiply the number of lamps by the power of each of them separately, then divide the resulting expression by the area of ​​the room. In this way, the required lamp power value is obtained, from which their number can be easily determined.

Calculation using a prototype. This method is quite simple, since all the data is available in tables typical for typical premises. This option is convenient for living conditions. There is no point in using calculations of a more professional type for everyday life.

Spot illumination calculation. Using this calculation, it is possible to obtain a value for each individual point in the room. However, this type of calculation requires lengthy preparation: it is necessary to have a room plan with markings of lamps, according to which you should select a point that serves as a calculation point. This option is complex and is used for difficult conditions or with design features of wall or ceiling surfaces.

Important! In order to simplify your task and find the exact value of illumination, you need to collect all the data and use a calculator that determines the level of lighting in the rooms.

Factors influencing workplace illumination?

For each separate room There are certain requirements that determine a number of factors that must be taken into account. At this stage, we will consider how to calculate illumination for working area or office.

Each type of activity should be equipped with an optimal level of luminous flux, and it does not matter whether you are working at a computer or at a production machine. Before ensuring sufficient comfort at your place of work, you must take into account the following factors:

• sufficiency of light and its uniformity;
• desired brightness;
• glare or glare effect is not allowed;
• correct contrast and color range of light;
• no light pulsation.

In addition to the listed factors, due attention must be paid to quantitative and qualitative criteria. Let's turn to qualitative criteria.

1. Direct fading is a set of objects or surfaces that brightly reflect light, while causing discomfort to human vision. This disadvantage can be eliminated by increasing the height of the lamps, installing diffusers on the light source and reducing the power of each bulb.
2. Reflected fading occurs when individual surfaces in a room have an increased reflectance. Due to this factor, a person can see a mirror or bright spot of light, and this quite interferes and irritates the vision. To eliminate this factor, it is necessary to properly organize the lighting, following the calculations using the formula.
3. High contrast. This factor is also not favorable. For example, if the surface of the work area has a contrast similar to the luminous flux, in such cases some details will be indistinguishable to the human eye.

Note! For the purpose of good vision and distinction of objects in the workplace, it is necessary that the surface of the illuminated area and the luminous flux have a different contrast.

1. Shadow. Required complete absence falling shadows, for example, from parts of the human body and objects installed in the work area. It is believed that such shadows are harmful because they reduce vision. In addition, they distort the contrast of details important for vision. To eliminate this criterion, it is important to place the lighting on that side of the surface so that even with the maximum tilt of a person, shadows do not form.
2. Light saturation. It is important here not to confuse the level of illumination of the working area and the light saturation of the entire room. These two characteristics are in this case are considered compatible. To avoid under-saturation, it is necessary to install unfocused lighting, as well as decorate walls and ceiling surface light coatings.

What is lighting pulsation and how to determine its level?

Today there is no lighting device that would produce a uniform luminous flux, and this does not at all indicate any defect in the device. Such a phenomenon, if present, cannot be noticed, but this does not reduce its danger to human vision.

The pulsation coefficient represents a certain change that occurs in the time of emission of the light flux that falls on the surface. To calculate this value, you should subtract the minimum value for the same time from the maximum illumination value for a certain period of time, and multiply the resulting value by 100%. The resulting number is expressed as a percentage.

Attention! There are a number of specific standards that are regulated by law regarding lighting pulsation. There are specific restrictions for each individual room.

In places where essential work tasks and operations are performed, this value should not exceed 20%. In public and administrative buildings, a pulsation value not exceeding 5% is provided.

Is it possible to measure the pulsation of light?

As it turned out, it is impossible to visually determine the state of pulsation of the light flux; therefore, it is necessary to use special equipment. Such devices include an illumination meter, a device for determining the brightness of light, and a device that indicates the exact value of the pulsation coefficient. Thanks to such devices, the following is achieved:

• exact value of room illumination;
• the brightness of devices transmitting artificial light is calculated;
• the pulsation of the light flux wave is determined;
• The pulsation of monitors of various electronic devices is clarified.

Based on the calculation results, the following values ​​are identified: the pulsation coefficient of LED lamps is 100%; less pulsation is produced by incandescent lamps and “housekeepers” - 25%. When choosing expensive lamps for residential lighting, you cannot guarantee that the pulsation coefficient will be harmless.

Standards for illumination of premises according to SNIP

The current document, which to this day regulates the pulsation coefficient and illumination indicators for premises, is the set of rules (SP), legalized in 2015. The latest version of SNIP 05/23/95 clarifies all criteria relating to electrical efficiency and safety.

Let's look at the table of standards from SNIP that residential premises must have.

Using table values, you can easily determine the required values ​​for each room in a residential building.

How to calculate the illumination rate in Lumens: not the traditional method

According to statistics, this method is considered the most accurate compared to others given, but it is used only in exceptional cases. In order to use this determination tactic, we need to take the total area of ​​the measured room, multiply this value by the normalized illumination indicator for 1 square meter. m, as a result we obtain the strength of light radiation necessary for the entire room as a whole.

Attention! All regulatory values ​​regarding lighting standards for residential premises can be found in SNIP documents.

Light is simply necessary for every person to have a great mood and mental health. Thanks to it, we get the opportunity to see objects, distinguish their shape and structure of materials, because artificial extension daylight hours allows you to increase efficiency and productivity. When choosing fixtures and lamps for yourself, do not forget that the light must be selected correctly. Indoors for various purposes A variable approach to lighting intensity is acceptable. And in order to choose the right lamps, you need to know how light is measured.

and artificial

All human health experts unanimously declare that the best source of light for people is a natural light source. It promotes the production of a number of vitamins and microelements in the body, and is also most beneficial for the eyes. Each item at natural light can be seen without distortion or glare.

But unfortunately, modern world dictates its conditions, and we can no longer do without artificial light sources in the dark, otherwise the life of cities would come to a complete stop. Each apartment contains a lot various lamps, quite often we have no idea how light is measured and what we need to pay attention to in the store when buying a variety of sconces, floor lamps and lampshades.

What kind of light is there?

No less important than the selection of light intensity is the category or type of lighting. As we have already said, the most pleasant and safe light is a natural source of lighting. It has a warm tint and is least harmful to the eyes. The closest thing to a similar tone were old incandescent lamps with a reddish tint of light output. They did not irritate the eyes and copied the sunlight entering the apartment windows.

Modern lamps have many variations in the working element and type of light. Before purchasing a new lamp, be sure to check what type of light is indicated on the packaging. For example, warm light will be ideal for residential premises. And neutral is usually used in offices and large production premises. Cold light is often used in watchmaking workshops, where its bluish tint helps to distinguish fine details. Cold shades of light are also welcome in subtropical countries, where they create a feeling of additional coolness and transparency of the air.

Based on the above, you can always choose the right type of light bulb that will create the desired mood and level of comfort in a relaxing home atmosphere. Psychologists have proven that the type of light plays a serious role in shaping the working mood in enterprises. Naturally, labor productivity also depends on this.

What parameters are used to measure light intensity?

The average buyer does not even think about how light is measured and how much it is important information. After all, light, being measured, is measured according to many quantitative and qualitative parameters. They must be taken into account when planning renovations in the apartment and counting the number of light bulbs needed for each room.

Light can be measured according to the following characteristics:

• intensity;
• strength;
• brightness

You won’t be able to determine all the necessary parameters just by eye, so you should take care of purchasing devices that will help you maintain your vision and a positive psychological attitude at any time of the day.

How is the brightness of light measured?

Brightness is a very important characteristic of a light source. It is the brightness of the lighting that allows us to see all the objects around us clearly and in contrast. Brightness enhances spatial perception and exposure of whites and blacks. In addition, it is the brightness of the light source that determines the degree of comfort when reading printed text, and this, as is known, directly affects eye health.

If we are talking about brightness, then remembering in what units light is measured is very easy. The candela is most often used to measure the brightness of a light source. This unit indicates the brightness of the burning of one candle; it is from it that all others are repelled measuring instruments. Sometimes experts also use other units of measurement - lambert and apostilbe.

What device can measure the brightness of lighting?

Modern specialized equipment stores are always ready to provide customers with a large number of various instruments for measuring the brightness of light. Brightness meters and colorimeters do the job best. They are able to give you information not only on the degree of brightness in a particular room, but also determine color temperature rooms.

Devices with advanced functionality are suitable for professional photographers involved in studio shooting. And for household needs, a regular brightness meter that does not have additional options is suitable.

In what

Luminous Intensity - According to school course In physics, it can be described as light energy that can be transferred from one point to another in a certain period of time. This energy can change direction depending on the given trajectory.

Light energy is measured in candelas. That is, having bought a brightness meter for home use, you can always measure not only the brightness, but also the intensity of the light.

Light intensity: what is it measured in?

Light intensity is often called illuminance and is also important when choosing luminaires and various types lamps Even a child can remember how light intensity is measured, although some nuances should be taken into account here.

If we are talking about falling on a certain surface, then it is necessary to measure in lumens. But if you want to find out the degree of illumination of objects or surfaces, you need to talk about lux.

Such subtleties often frighten buyers who have heard somewhere that light is measured in lumens, and are perplexed by the incomprehensible units of measurement indicated on the packaging of the light bulb. A very common device - a lux meter - will help you cope with the problem of determining the degree of illumination in a room.

Luxometer - a device that preserves healthy vision

If you have difficulty remembering in what units light is measured, then a lux meter will save your time and nerve cells. This device has small size and weight, most often it consists of a display and a measuring part.

You can use this assistant at home, in educational institutions or office premises. To obtain data, you just need to turn on the light source and take measurements. Within a few seconds you will see the result on the display, which will show how safe your light bulbs and lamps are for the eyes.

for apartments and other residential premises

In order to choose lighting that is comfortable for the eyes, it is not enough to know how light is measured. You also need to have information about lighting standards, which you should use when planning the location of lighting fixtures in the apartment.

Each room and space has its own required level of illumination, which is measured in lux. For example, the children's room should be the most illuminated room in the apartment. There cannot be less than two hundred suites here, otherwise the baby’s health will be at great risk.

The kitchen and other rooms can be illuminated with one hundred and fifty lux, but utility rooms and corridors can get by with fifty lux. Compliance with these standards guarantees your family a comfortable existence, excellent mood and vision that even an eagle will envy.

If you care about your family, you should know exactly what light bulbs are installed in the lamps in your apartment. After all, every sane person dreams of returning from work to a home where cheerful children and a caring wife in a good mood are waiting for him. And an important role in making the dream finally become a reality is played by well-chosen lighting.

Surely you already know that too dim or, conversely, too bright lighting in a room has a negative effect on the human body. In addition to eternal drowsiness, an insufficient amount of artificial and natural light entails more serious dangers - blurred vision and impaired psychological state. Solving the problem is quite simple - install more suitable lamps and properly organize the lighting in each room. However, before this, you need to find out what lighting standards exist for residential premises. This is exactly what we will talk about now.

What does SNiP say?

The main document that specifies existing standards is SNiP (building codes and regulations). So, according to this document, the following standards of illumination in lux (Lx) must be observed in an apartment and a private house:

• attic and basement passage – 20;
• toilet, shower, bath – 50;
• hall, corridor – 50;
• wardrobe – 75;
• bathhouse, swimming pool – 100;
• bedroom, kitchen – 150;
• children's - 200;
• personal office, library, utility room, room with billiards - 300.

Please note that in the bathroom you can optionally increase artificial illumination to 100 Lux, because... for applying makeup and shaving, the value specified in SNiP 05/23/2010 may not be enough.

So that you understand how to convert the provided numbers into more familiar values, remember - 1 Lux is 1 Lumen/1 square meter of room. Each light bulb must indicate such a characteristic as luminous flux (in lumens, Lm). All you need to do is first calculate the standard illumination of a living space, in your case one of the rooms, then convert the value to Lumens and select the appropriate light bulbs. Let's look at the calculation technology using an example.

We make calculations

Let's say you need to find out the standard of illumination in a bedroom whose area is 20 m2. First of all, we multiply the norm according to SNiP for this room by the area, namely 150 * 20, in total we get 3000 Lux. Accordingly, with this value, the total luminous flux of the lamps should be 3000 Lm. All you have to do is choose the appropriate light bulbs for your living space, for example, if you want, you can use 3 light bulbs of 12 W each, which in total will give no more than 3600 Lm according to the table:

This calculation is approximate, because Each has its own meanings, which you can find out upon purchase. This way, you can easily make the artificial light in the room the kind recommended by the lighting standards for residential premises according to SNiP.

By the way, this value can be measured using special device- a lux meter, which is quite simple to use, as proven by the video below.

Measuring work