Light Unit Converter 1.0.3

The Light Unit Converter app developed by Apogee Instruments provides a valuable tool for professionals in various fields requiring accurate conversions between different light measurement units. This application is particularly useful for those working with diverse light sources, including T5 Sylvania fluorescent lights, metal halide lamps, high-pressure sodium lights, and natural sunlight. The app effectively handles conversions for shortwave radiation (SW), photosynthetic photon flux (PPF, PPFD), lux (lx), and foot-candles (fc, lm/ft², or ft-c).

Definitions of Key Terms:

• Shortwave Radiation - Shortwave radiation (SW) encompasses radiant energy that exists within the visible (VIS), near-ultraviolet (UV), and near-infrared (NIR) spectra. The boundaries of shortwave radiation can vary; it may be defined broadly to include wavelengths from 0.1μm to 5.0μm or more narrowly to include only those between 0.2μm and 3.0μm. It's important to note that the flux of radiation reaching the Earth's surface is minimal below 0.2μm and above 3.0μm, though photon flux remains significant up to 6.0μm. UV-C radiation ranges from 0.1μm to 0.28μm, UV-B from 0.28μm to 0.315μm, UV-A from 0.315μm to 0.4μm, while the visible spectrum lies between 0.4μm and 0.7μm, with NIR encompassing wavelengths from 0.7μm to 5.0μm.
• Lux - The lux (lx) serves as the SI unit for illuminance and luminous emittance, quantifying luminous flux per area and equivalent to one lumen per square meter. It measures the intensity of light as perceived by the human eye on a surface, contrasting with the radiometric measure of watts per square meter by integrating power across wavelengths according to the luminosity function.
• Photosynthetic Photon Flux - Photosynthetic Photon Flux (PPF), or Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density (PPFD), pertains to the spectral range of solar radiation utilized by photosynthetic organisms, specifically from 400 to 700 nanometers. This measurement is crucial in sectors like agriculture and forestry for assessing plant productivity and agricultural investment potential; PAR sensors are employed at various canopy levels to gauge both availability and usage.
• Foot-candle - The foot-candle (fc) is a non-SI unit widely adopted in the United States across various disciplines including photography, horticulture, and construction lighting. Defined as the illuminance upon a one-square foot surface from a one-candela source positioned one foot away, one foot-candle is equivalent to one lumen per square foot, which translates roughly to 10.764 lux in standard practice.