Illumination Converter

Description: Illumination Unit Converter

The Illumination Unit Converter is a practical tool designed to aid in the conversion between various units used to measure illumination. Illumination quantifies the amount of light falling onto or emitted from a surface per unit area. This converter allows users to seamlessly switch between different units of illumination, facilitating calculations and comparisons in fields such as lighting design, architecture, and photography.

Formula: Illumination (E) is defined as the luminous flux (Φ) incident on a surface per unit area (A): $E = \frac{Φ}{A}$ Where:

• $E$ is the illumination, and
• $A$ is the area.

How to Convert: To convert between different units of illumination, follow these steps:

1. Determine the Initial and Target Units: Identify the unit you have and the unit you want to convert to.

2. Find Conversion Factors: Use conversion factors to convert between units. These conversion factors are based on the relationships between the units.

3. Apply the Conversion Factor: Multiply the value you want to convert by the appropriate conversion factor. If you're converting from larger units to smaller units, you'll multiply. If you're converting from smaller units to larger units, you'll divide.

4. Perform the Calculation: Apply the conversion factor to the value you want to convert to get the equivalent value in the desired unit.

Units Explanation:

1. Lux [lx]: Illumination expressed in lux, the standard SI unit used to measure illuminance.

2. Meter-Candle [m*c]: Illumination expressed in meter-candles, where the light source is standardized using a meter.

3. Centimeter-Candle [cm*c]: Illumination expressed in centimeter-candles, where the light source is standardized using a centimeter.

4. Foot-Candle [ft*c, fc]: Illumination expressed in foot-candles, commonly used in the United States and other countries for lighting design and engineering.

5. Flame: A unit of illumination historically used in lighting, where the brightness of a flame is used as a reference.

6. Phot [ph]: Illumination expressed in phots, a unit used in photometry equal to 10,000 lux.

7. Nox: A unit of illumination historically used in the UK, equal to 1/10 foot-candle.

8. Candela Steradian/Square Meter: Illumination expressed in candelas per steradian per square meter, a measure of the brightness per unit solid angle and area.

9. Lumen/Square Meter [lm/m^2]: Illumination expressed in lumens per square meter, providing a measure of the total light flux incident on a surface.

10. Lumen/Square Centimeter: Illumination expressed in lumens per square centimeter, providing a more localized measure of light flux.

11. Lumen/Square Foot [lm/ft^2]: Illumination expressed in lumens per square foot, commonly used in lighting design and engineering.

12. Watt/Square cm (at 555 nm): Illumination expressed in watts per square centimeter at a wavelength of 555 nanometers, providing a measure of radiant flux incident on a surface.

Understanding these units and the conversion process allows for precise measurement and manipulation of illumination across various scales and applications.

Examples:

1. Conversion from Lux [lx] to Foot-Candle [fc]: $1\, \text{Lux} = 0.0929\, \text{Foot-Candle}$ To convert 500 lux to foot-candles: $500\, \text{Lux} \times 0.0929 = 46.45\, \text{Foot-Candles}$

2. Conversion from Meter-Candle [m*c] to Lumen/Square Meter [lm/m^2]: $1\, \text{Meter-Candle} = 10.76\, \text{Lumen/Square Meter}$ To convert 20 meter-candles to lumens per square meter: $20\, \text{Meter-Candles} \times 10.76 = 215.2\, \text{Lumen/Square Meter}$

By following these steps and using appropriate conversion factors, illumination values can be accurately converted between different units.