What is the surface of a television screen typically covered with to produce light?

The surface of a television screen is typically covered with phosphors to produce light. Phosphors are special chemical compounds that emit light when stimulated by electrons or ultraviolet light. In traditional cathode-ray tube (CRT) televisions, phosphors are coated on the inside of the glass screen and glow in different colors—red, green, and blue—when struck by electron beams. This combination of colors creates the full spectrum of images displayed on the screen.

Modern flat-screen TVs, such as LCD or LED screens, also utilize phosphors in various ways, particularly in the creation of color in LED-lit displays where phosphors are used to convert blue light from LEDs into other colors.

The other options do not serve this purpose effectively. Gold, while an excellent conductor, is not used to produce light on screens. Sodium is used in certain types of lighting, but it does not have the same light-emitting properties in the context of TV screens. Carbon can act as a conductor and be used in some display technologies, but it is not the primary substance used to create the light emission on television screens.