What type of light is produced through high temperatures and thermal energy?

Incandescence refers to the light produced when an object is heated to a high temperature, causing it to emit thermal radiation. This phenomenon occurs due to the thermal energy exciting the atoms or molecules within the material, leading to the emission of photons, which we perceive as visible light. For example, a metal filament in a light bulb glows brightly when electric current passes through it and raises its temperature to about 2000 to 3000 degrees Celsius.

In contrast, electric discharge involves the emission of light due to the flow of electric current through a gas, resulting in phenomena like the glow seen in neon lights, but this is not strictly tied to high temperatures and thermal energy. Refraction and diffraction both describe behavior of light waves as they interact with barriers or different mediums, but they do not involve the production of light through thermal means. Thus, incandescence is the only option related directly to light produced by high temperatures.