A Light Converter is a tool used to convert between different units of light-related measurements, such as luminous flux, luminous intensity, illuminance, and radiant flux. These units are commonly used in the fields of physics, lighting design, photography, and optics.
Common Units of Light:
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Luminous Flux (lm):
- Lumen (lm): The SI unit of luminous flux, representing the total amount of visible light emitted by a source.
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Luminous Intensity (cd):
- Candela (cd): The SI unit of luminous intensity, indicating the amount of light emitted in a particular direction by a source.
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Illuminance (lux):
- Lux (lx): The SI unit of illuminance, which measures how much luminous flux is spread over a given area.
- 1 lux = 1 lumen per square meter (lm/m²).
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Radiant Flux (W):
- Watt (W): The unit of radiant flux, which measures the total energy emitted as electromagnetic radiation (including visible light).
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Radiant Intensity (W/sr):
- Watt per steradian (W/sr): The unit of radiant intensity, used to describe how much radiant flux is emitted in a particular direction.
Conversion Formulas Between Light Units:
1. Luminous Flux (lm) to Other Units:
- 1 lumen (lm) = 1 lux × 1 m² (illuminance for 1 square meter)
- 1 lumen (lm) = 1 cd × steradian (candela × steradian)
- 1 lumen (lm) = 1/683 W (in the case of monochromatic light with a wavelength of 555 nm)
2. Luminous Intensity (cd) to Other Units:
- 1 candela (cd) = 1 lm/steradian
- 1 candela (cd) = 1 lux × steradian (lux multiplied by steradian)
- 1 candela (cd) = 1/683 W/sr (at 555 nm)
3. Illuminance (lux) to Other Units:
- 1 lux (lx) = 1 lm/m²
- 1 lux (lx) = 1/683 W/m² (for monochromatic light at 555 nm)
- 1 lux (lx) = 1 cd/steradian × meter² (luminous intensity per unit area)
4. Radiant Flux (W) to Other Units:
- 1 watt (W) = 1 joule per second (J/s)
- 1 watt (W) = 683 lm (at 555 nm for monochromatic light)
5. Radiant Intensity (W/sr) to Other Units:
- 1 W/sr = 683 lm/sr (at 555 nm)
- 1 W/sr = 1 cd (for monochromatic light at 555 nm)
