how are photons coming from grow plant lights different than photons coming from regular house lights?

Question

How did they differ? is it the wavelength or the amount of light?

In: Technology

Answer 1

Basically, you are correct that both wavelength and amount will matter; usually the complicated combination of these things is described as the “spectra” or “spectrum” of a given light source.

Any kind of light source you buy… whether that’s an “oldschool” incandescent bulb, some sort of “mercury” lamp or “fluorescent” lamp, or the fancy latest diode “grow light”… will each have a unique “spectra” based on how that technology turns electricity into light.

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Whether or not a given light source will work (poorly or well) for you will depend upon what amount of light you need at what specific wavelengths (i.e. the absorption “spectra” of your application).

Basically, you want to match the “spectra” of your light source as efficiently as you can to the “spectra” of your application… but real-world difficulties/actualities can-and-will complicate things.