Re: Which kind of light produces the most heat energy?

Hi,

It is a good question. I hope, I can help you. First of all, I will give 
a short information about light sources 

There are many sources of light. The most common light sources are 
thermal; a body at a given temperature emits a characteristic spectrum of 
black body radiation. Examples include sunlight (the radiation emitted by 
the chromosphere of the Sun at around 6,000 K peaks in the visible region 
of the electromagnetic spectrum), incandescent light bulbs (which emit 
only around 10% of their energy as visible light and the remainder as 
infrared), and glowing solid particles in flames. The peak of the 
blackbody spectrum is in the infrared for relatively cool objects like 
human beings. As the temperature increases, the peak shifts to shorter 
wavelengths, producing first a red glow, then a white one, and finally a 
blue colour as the peak moves out of the visible part of the spectrum and 
into the ultraviolet. These colours can be seen when metal is heated 
to "red hot" or "white hot". The blue colour is most commonly seen in a 
gas flame or a welder's torch.

Atoms emit and absorb light at characteristic energies. This 
produces "emission lines" in the spectrum of each atom. Emission can be 
spontaneous, as in light-emitting diodes, gas discharge lamps (such as 
neon lamps and neon signs, mercury-vapor lamps, etc.), and flames (light 
from the hot gas itself—so, for example, sodium in a gas flame emits 
characteristic yellow light). Emission can also be stimulated, as in a 
laser or a microwave maser.

Acceleration of a free charged particle, such as an electron, can produce 
visible radiation: cyclotron radiation, synchrotron radiation, and 
bremsstrahlung radiation are all examples of this. Particles moving 
through a medium faster than the speed of light in that medium can 
produce visible Cherenkov radiation.

Certain chemicals produce visible radiation by chemoluminescence. In 
living things, this process is called bioluminescence. For example, 
fireflies produce light by this means, and boats moving through water can 
disturb plankton which produce a glowing wake.

Certain substances produce light when they are illuminated by more 
energetic radiation, a process known as fluorescence. This is used in 
fluorescent lights. Some substances emit light slowly after excitation by 
more energetic radiation. This is known as phosphorescence.

Phosphorescent materials can also be excited by bombarding them with 
subatomic particles. Cathodoluminescence is one example of this. This 
mechanism is used in cathode ray tube televisions.

Finally, it is seen that the sun light produces the most heat energy.

Best wishes