LED stands for light-emitting diode. LEDs are small light sources that become illuminated by the movement of electrons through a semiconductor material. Low-powered LEDs are used to draw attention to something, such as an exit sign, a green power button on a computer or a red blinking light on a video camera. High-powered LEDs are used to illuminate an area.

 

Not all LEDs are highly efficient and long-lasting. LEDs have been efficient and long lasting as indicator lights in electronics for years, but using LEDs to create stable white light for general lighting presents new challenges. LED lighting products must pass a variety of tests to prove that the products will display high-efficiency characteristics. (Source: Energystar.gov / Photo: Flickr)