• Join over 1.2 million students every month
  • Accelerate your learning by 29%
  • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month
  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9

Chemistry Case Study - Life Cycle Of 2 Types of Lightbulb - Life Cycle Assesment

Extracts from this document...


Table of Contents Introduction 3 What is Life Cycle Assesment? 3 Life Cycle Assesments Of Both Bulbs 4 Introduction to the Bulbs 4 Production And Raw Materials Used 5 Usage and Lifespan 6 Disposal of the Bulbs 6 Total Emmisons And Energy Used 7 Conclusion 8 Introduction There is currently a lot of discussion about the benefits of energy saving bulbs against the common incandescent (filament) light bulb. However which actual light bulb is better, in terms of life cycle assessment and the impacts of the bulb on the environment, is not as clear cut as first thought. I will be assessing both products in terms their life cycle and their impacts of the bulb on the environment and the things that have to be used and put into place to produce the product all the way up to disposing (or recycling) of the product. What is Life Cycle Assesment? I will be assessing the life cycle of both products and will make an eductated conclusion on which light bulb is better in terms of each of their inviromental impacts that they cause either in any part of their life as a product from production to disposal. A 'Life Cycle Assessment'('LCA', also known as 'life cycle analysis', 'ecobalance', and 'cradle-to-grave analysis') is the investigation and valuation of the environmental impacts of a given product or service caused or necessitated by its existence. ...read more.


as this can have a devastating effect on the enviropment if exposed to it. However usually this is not the case and most times if not all energy saving bulbs are produced in a way not likely to result in damage to the enviroment by spillage if the mecury vapour so this I think is a minor aspect to consider and should not weigh the argument too severly. As you can see from the table the amount of energy and materials needed to produce the energy saving bulb is far higher than than that of the incadesent as well as some extra materials used in the energy saving than in the incadenent. However this angle of view is one that of the energy required bulb against bulb and if we were to look say at the energy requied to produce one a luman hour ( measure of light produced over time) the production cost would be less for energy saving than incadesent. This is a very important point because it shows that although the energy saving bulb costs more to produce innitly the actual cost to produce one over time is significantly less. Usage and Lifespan N.B We are assuming that both the packaging for both bulbs are the sma eas usually both bulbs are placed in the same packaging and transported the same distence in the same way. ...read more.


or disposed and the indirect emmisions used through these ( the emmision that are given off by coal being burnt to power the different stages). You can see in the reduction colum that the flourent bulb beats the incadesent in emmisions of every gas exept mecury, however an interesting point is that the actual extra energy used by the incadesent bulb means that more coal has to be burnt and this extra amount of coal would mean an extra amount of heavy metals released into the atmosphere including mecury so again the flouresnt bulb actual wins over this. Conclusion In conclusio I think that in every apect of life cycl assesmnt the flouresnt bulb is supoior to the incadesant because not only does it use less electricity to produce the same amount of light it also has a life time 8 times that of the incadesent meaning that the production cost and impacts of the flouresnt bulb is far less than that of the incadesnt bulbs that are equivelent. People I think should change to the bulbs based on this information as it would be the best thing for the enviroment however the bulb may prodiuce undesirable effects for the consumer such as light colour and apparent strobbing effects however I have not put these into consideration in lght that this is a life cycle assessment n impacts of the bulb on the enviroment and not anything else. ...read more.

The above preview is unformatted text


Found what you're looking for?

  • Start learning 29% faster today
  • 150,000+ documents available
  • Just £6.99 a month

Not the one? Search for your essay title...
  • Join over 1.2 million students every month
  • Accelerate your learning by 29%
  • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month
  • Over 160,000 pieces
    of student written work
  • Annotated by
    experienced teachers
  • Ideas and feedback to
    improve your own work