1. What is Candlepower?

Candlepower is a unit of measurement for luminous intensity, representing the amount of light emitted in a particular direction. It is calculated as lumens per steradian (lm/sr).

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the candlepower formula:

Where:

• \( CP \) — Candlepower (cp)
• \( Lumens \) — Total luminous flux (lm)
• \( Solid\ Angle \) — Angular measurement in steradians (sr)

Explanation: Candlepower measures the intensity of light in a specific direction, calculated by dividing the total luminous flux by the solid angle over which the light is distributed.

3. Importance of Candlepower Calculation

Details: Candlepower is important for lighting design, beam pattern analysis, and comparing the directional intensity of different light sources.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter lumens and solid angle values. Both values must be positive numbers greater than zero.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's the difference between lumens and candlepower?
A: Lumens measure total light output, while candlepower measures light intensity in a specific direction.

Q2: How is solid angle measured?
A: Solid angle is measured in steradians (sr), representing the angular area in three-dimensional space.

Q3: What are typical candlepower values?
A: Candlepower values vary widely depending on the light source and beam angle, from a few cp for diffuse lighting to thousands for focused beams.

Q4: When is candlepower measurement most useful?
A: Candlepower is particularly useful for directional lighting applications like spotlights, flashlights, and automotive headlights.

Q5: How does beam angle affect candlepower?
A: A narrower beam angle concentrates the same lumens into a smaller solid angle, resulting in higher candlepower values.