20 Photometry Problems with Solutions
Problem 1
A light source emits a luminous flux of 1500 lm uniformly in all directions. What is its
luminous intensity?
Solution:
Luminous intensity I = Φ / (4π)
I = 1500 / (4π) ≈ 119.4 cd
Problem 2
A lamp has a luminous intensity of 200 cd in a given direction. What is the illuminance on a
screen placed 5 m away?
Solution:
E = I / r²
E = 200 / 25 = 8 lx
Problem 3
A 100 W lamp emits 1800 lm. What is its luminous efficacy?
Solution:
η=Φ/P
η = 1800 / 100 = 18 lm/W
Problem 4
A source emits 1000 lm into a solid angle of 2 sr. Find its luminous intensity.
Solution:
I=Φ/Ω
I = 1000 / 2 = 500 cd
Problem 5
A 150 cd light source is placed 3 m above a table. Find the illuminance on the table directly
below.
Solution:
E = I / r² = 150 / 9 = 16.7 lx
Problem 6
Two lamps of luminous flux 1200 lm and 800 lm are placed together. Find the combined
luminous flux.
Solution:
Φ_total = 1200 + 800 = 2000 lm
Problem 7
A source has luminous intensity of 500 cd. Find the luminous flux it radiates into 1 sr.
Solution:
Φ = I * Ω = 500 * 1 = 500 lm
Problem 8
A lamp gives an illuminance of 10 lx at a distance of 2 m. Find its luminous intensity.
Solution:
I = E * r² = 10 * 4 = 40 cd
Problem 9
A lamp has an efficacy of 20 lm/W and consumes 60 W. Find its luminous flux.
Solution:
Φ = η * P = 20 * 60 = 1200 lm
Problem 10
A lamp of luminous intensity 400 cd illuminates a screen 4 m away. Find the illuminance.
Solution:
E = 400 / 16 = 25 lx
Problem 11
If illuminance on a surface is 50 lx and the area is 2 m², find the luminous flux received.
Solution:
Φ = E * A = 50 * 2 = 100 lm
Problem 12
A lamp emits uniformly with luminous intensity of 100 cd. Find its total luminous flux.
Solution:
Φ = 4πI = 1256 lm
Problem 13
At what distance from a 200 cd source will the illuminance be 5 lx?
Solution:
r = sqrt(I/E) = sqrt(200/5) = sqrt(40) ≈ 6.32 m
Problem 14
A lamp emits 1500 lm. If 25% of flux is absorbed, what is the effective luminous flux?
Solution:
Φ_eff = 0.75 * 1500 = 1125 lm
Problem 15
Two sources have luminous intensities 300 cd and 500 cd. What is their combined luminous
flux radiated into 2 sr?
Solution:
Φ = (I1 + I2) * Ω = 800 * 2 = 1600 lm
Problem 16
A 60 W lamp has a luminous flux of 900 lm. Find its luminous efficacy.
Solution:
η = Φ / P = 900 / 60 = 15 lm/W
Problem 17
A 120 cd source produces 30 lx on a surface. Find the distance.
Solution:
r = sqrt(I/E) = sqrt(120/30) = sqrt(4) = 2 m
Problem 18
A lamp of 100 cd is placed at 45° incidence to a screen 2 m away. Find the illuminance.
Solution:
E = (I cosθ) / r² = (100 * 0.707) / 4 ≈ 17.7 lx
Problem 19
A lamp emits 2000 lm uniformly. Find the luminous intensity.
Solution:
I = Φ / (4π) = 2000 / 12.566 ≈ 159.2 cd
Problem 20
A 40 W lamp emits 600 lm. Find its luminous efficacy and the % efficiency if the maximum
theoretical luminous efficacy is 683 lm/W.
Solution:
η = 600 / 40 = 15 lm/W
% efficiency = (15/683)*100 ≈ 2.2%