Light output is measured in?

Light output is measured in lumens because lumens quantify the total amount of visible light emitted by a source per unit of time. This measurement takes into account the sensitivity of the human eye to different wavelengths of light, providing a standardized way to express the brightness that a light source delivers.

Footcandles, on the other hand, measure the illuminance on a surface, specifically how much light is received over an area, rather than the total output of the light source itself. Color temperature describes the visual warmth or coolness of a light source, typically expressed in Kelvin, and does not indicate the amount of light produced. Candlepower refers to the luminous intensity of a source in a specific direction, measured in candelas, which again is more about intensity than total light output. Therefore, lumens are the correct unit for measuring the total light output of a light source.