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LCD, or Liquid Crystal Display, is a flat-panel display technology that uses liquid crystals to form images on a screen. An electric current is applied to the liquid crystals, causing them to align and either block or allow light from a backlight to pass through, creating the picture you see. LCDs are used in computer monitors, TVs, and smartphones due to their energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

How it works

Structure: An LCD screen has a layer of liquid crystals sandwiched between two glass panels with transparent electrodes.

Backlight: A backlight, often a cold-cathode fluorescent lamp or an LED, provides the light that will be used to create the image.

Electric current: When an electric current is sent to the electrodes, it passes through the liquid crystals.

Alignment: The current causes the crystals to twist or untwist, which changes how they interact with the polarized light from the backlight.

Image formation: By controlling the alignment of the crystals, different amounts of light are allowed to pass through, creating the colors and images on the screen.