What type of fire detector responds to an interruption in the light source?

The type of fire detector that responds to an interruption in the light source is the photoelectric smoke detector. This type of detector typically uses a light source, such as a light-emitting diode (LED), and a light sensor positioned at an angle to the light beam. In a clear environment, the light travels uninterrupted to the sensor. However, when smoke particles enter the sensing chamber, they scatter the light, causing a drop in the light intensity reaching the sensor. This fluctuation is detected, triggering an alarm to indicate the presence of smoke and potentially a fire.

Photoelectric detectors are particularly effective at detecting smoldering fires that produce more smoke before bursting into flames, making them a vital component in fire safety systems. Their design allows them to be more sensitive to smoke produced in the early stages of a fire compared to other types of detectors, which operate on different principles.

In contrast, the other detectors operate based on different mechanisms: ionization detectors respond to the presence of ions in the air caused by combustion, infrared flame detectors detect specific wavelengths of infrared radiation emitted by flames, and thermal detectors trigger alarms based on temperature increases rather than changes in light. Each of these types serves a unique purpose and works best for different fire scenarios, but when it