A flashlight, also called a torch is a portable device used for illumination and usually has battery cells for power. A flashlight usually consists of a small electric light bulb, a compartment for batteries which power the bulb, a switch for the bulb and a parabolic reflector for focusing the light. The battery compartment also acts like a handle for holding the flashlight.

Though the flashlight is of a very simple design, it is a relatively new invention. It came into being after the incandescent light bulb and the dry cell was invented.

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