As electricity is often portrayed as a stream of energy, it’s tempting to think of dimmer switches like dams that only let some of the electricity through, with the rest leaking out as heat elsewhere – and so not really saving energy at all.
In fact, modern dimmer switches work by using circuitry that rapidly turns the electricity to the lights completely on or off, with the switching rate determining the brightness. As such, dimmer switches really do save energy.
Read more:
- Is it possible for sound to be turned into electricity?
- Does it take less energy to make an energy-saving light bulb than a normal bulb?
- Can traffic generate electricity?
- If energy can’t be created, where did it come from in the first place?
Authors
Robert is a science writer and visiting professor of science at Aston University. He likes maths, West End musicals and hamsters.
