The main difference between Incandescent light
bulbs is the process of exciting the atoms. In an ordinary light bulb
atoms are excited by heat, in Fluorescent light bulbs, atoms are excited by
a chemical reaction.
 This glass
tube has a phosphor coating, and contains a small amount of mercury. When
you turn on this type of light bulb the current flows to the electrodes.
There is a large voltage across the electrodes, so electrons will travel
through the gas from one end of the tube to the other. This energy changes
some of the mercury in the tube from a liquid to a gas.
As electrons and charged atoms move through the tube, some of them
collide with the gaseous mercury atoms. These collisions excite the atoms,
bumping electrons up to higher energy levels. The electrons return to their
original energy level, and release light photons.
However the light output is ultraviolet and we would not see this
light, this is where the phosphor powder coating comes and produces white
light from the ultraviolet light. Phosphors are substances that give off
light when they are exposed to light.
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