Light Bulb Shapes

Light bulb shapes vary, from pear shapes to funnel shapes to tube shapes. Each light bulb type has a designation. Examples include: PAR for parabolic aluminized reflector light bulb or T for tube. Many household halogen light bulbs are a MR16, the MR is for 'metallic reflective' light bulb.
Bulb shapes are derived from these names. Several of the more general classes of bulb types are outlined below.

• A Standard household incandescent light bulb shape
• B Bulged bulb shape
• BT Bulged or Blown Tubular bulb shape
• BR Short reflector style light bulb
• C Candle or Conical bulb shape
• CP Crystalline Pear bulb shape
• E Ellipsoidal bulb shape
• ER Extended reflector light bulb shape
• F Flame style candelabra bulb shape
• G Globe bulb or circular bulb
• HK Hexagonal Candle
• K Krypton or narrow reflector light bulb shape
• MB Halogen bulb
• MR Quartz reflector lamp (low wattage)
• P Pear bulb shape
• PAR Parabolic Aluminized Reflector (PAR) lamp
• PS Elongated standard incandescent bulb
• R Reflector light bulb style
• S Strait Sided bulb style
• T Tube lamp shape

PAR light bulbs utilize a parabolic mirror or reflective surface to focus the light. This results in a great brightness with less energy consumption. Still several factors less effecient than an LED light bulb.

A type bulb shapes are standard house hold light bulbs. The number after the bulb shape is the number of eighths of and inch in diameter. For non-imperial measured bulbs the number following the bulb shape is the # centimeters at the widest point of the bulb.