A light source's color temperature is primarily related to what?

The color temperature of a light source is fundamentally determined by the type of light source utilized. It refers to the hue of light emitted by a source when measured in degrees Kelvin (K). Different types of light sources, such as incandescent, fluorescent, LED, or halogen, have distinct spectral distributions, which directly influence their color temperature.

For instance, incandescent bulbs typically emit a warm light at lower temperatures (around 2700K), while daylight fluorescent bulbs can emit a much cooler, bluish light with a temperature of around 5000K or higher. Thus, knowing the type of light source allows one to predict its corresponding color temperature.

While brightness, wattage, and distance can affect the intensity and perception of light, they do not intrinsically alter the fundamental color temperature associated with the light source itself. Brightness is more about the overall output of light, wattage relates to energy consumption, and distance influences how light is perceived but doesn't change the light’s inherent color characteristics.