Flashlight

light · electricity · portable · everyday tech

Portable light source. A flashlight is a small electric lamp you can hold in your hand and carry anywhere. It's made of a light source, a reflector to bounce light forward, a battery for power, a switch to turn it on and off, and a protective case.

From bulbs to LEDs. Old flashlights used tiny incandescent light bulbs that got hot and burned through batteries quickly. Since the early 2000s, LEDs (light-emitting diodes) have taken over because they're brighter, last much longer, and use way less power.

Battery powered. Flashlights run on batteries that provide the electrical energy to make the light shine. The bigger or better the batteries, the longer your flashlight can stay on.

Reflector design. Inside a flashlight, a curved reflector sits behind the light source and bounces light forward in a focused beam. This smart design makes the light go where you want it instead of scattering in all directions.