Light bulbs emit billions of little light particles from their surface. The amount of light particles emitted is called Lumens. If you look on a light bulb or on its package you will see how many lumens it emits; the higher the lumens the better we should see (keeping color constant: see Color).

Depending on what type of activity you would like to perform there are recommended lighting levels. Because light levels change with the distance from its source, and items like shades and covers block light, one can measure the light level using a light meter (costing approx. $30) which will read the light in lux (i.e. lumens per square meter). We have provided a short guide to help you determine the appropriate amount of light for various activities.