Color temperature
From Wikipedia , the free encyclopedia Color temperature is a characteristic of visible light that has important
applications in lighting, photography, videography, publishing, and other fields. The color temperature of a light
source is determined by comparing its chromaticity with that of an ideal black-body radiator . The temperature
(usually measured in kelvin (K)) at which the heated black-body radiator matches the color of the light source is
that source’s color temperature. Yellow-red colors are considered warm,and blue-green colors are considered
cool.Confusingly, higher Kelvin temperatures(3600–5500 K) are considered cool and lower color temperatures
(2700-3000 K)are considered warm.Cool light produce higher contrast and is considered better for visual tasks.
Warm light is preferred for living space because it is considered more flattering to skin tones and clothing.Color
temperatures in the 2700–3600 K range are recommended for most general indoor and task lighting.
The CIE1931 x,y chromaticity space, also
showing the chromaticities of black-body
light sources of various temperatures
( Planckian locus ), and lines of constant
correlated color temperature.
Lighting
For lighting buildings , it is often important to take into account the color temperature of the light fittings used.
For example , a warmer (i.e., lower temperature) light is often used in public areas to promote relaxation, while a
cooler, whiter light is used in offices. Due to heightened awareness of the stress that poor lighting can cause,as
well as sick building syndrome, many governmental agencies have certain criteria that lighting must meet.
The international color code is often used to denote the temperature of a lamp’s light . This code is a three digit
number. The first digit refers to the color rendering index: if it is 8 , then the CRI is between 80 and 90 , if it is 9 , it
lies between 90 and 100. The next two numbers are the color temperature ( to the nearest hundred ) divided by
one hundred kelvins, thus if the temperature is 6500 K, the number is 65.
Correlated color temperature
The correlated color temperature (Tcp)is the temperature of the Planckian radiator whose perceived color most
closely resembles that of a given stimulus at the same brightness and under specified viewing conditions