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As an incandescent light bulb is used, tungsten slowly evaporates from the filament causing it to get thinner. When it gets too thin it can no longer carry the current and part of it melts causing the bulb to blow out.
Karina Ernser
Wiki User
∙ 8y agoLight Bulb Filament Life Story Incandescent light bulbs have a filament made of tungsten. The filament is heated to a white-hot temperature by the electrical current passing through it. The filament is so hot that the tungsten slowly evaporates off the filament and plates the inside of the glass envelope (bulb). The evaporation of metal causes the filament to get thinner over time. Repeated heating and cooling from turning the lamp on and off causes the filament to become brittle. A large surge current flows through a cold filament when the bulb is first turned on (the resistance of tungsten increases with temperature reducing the current as the bulb heats.) The surge passing through a brittle, thin filament can create a hot spot that completely melts the filament causing the light to burn out. This is why light bulbs tend to burn out when being turned on.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoLight bulbs draw/use more electricity when you first turn them on, as compared with when they've been on for a while. In the case of incandescent bulbs, this extra current stresses the tungsten filaments, making it more likely that they will fail when you first switch them on. Also, these failures tend to be more noticeable because you usually hear a pop thanks to the additional current passing through when the filament breaks. And you are inevitably waiting for the light to go on... and it doesn't.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoIf lights are in a single series circuit, then if one thing is wrong with a single light (maybe its a little loose) then they all go out because a series cir cut will only give a straight path for the electricity to go, and if it gets tampered with it does not work.
Wiki User
∙ 9y agoAs an incandescent light bulb is used, tungsten slowly evaporates from the filament causing it to get thinner. When it gets too thin it can no longer carry the current and part of it melts causing the bulb to blow out.
Wiki User
∙ 16y agoOxidation of the filament (tungsten)
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What are the causes and effects of incandescent light bulb?
Because of the creation of the light bulb you could Illuminate a room without dangerous candles Turn the lights on and off quickly It can burn for 40 hours You won't have to replace a lightbulb as often as you replace candles
Does is matter if you put one light bulb in a fixture made for two light bulbs Will the bulb burn out faster?
Actually it may last longer !!! This is due to the fact that less heat is made with one bulb.
How do you reset the brake lamp light on a 92 Prelude after you've replaced the bulb?
If it still doesn't burn, check the ground of the light assy.
Can faulty electrical wiring cause light bulbs to burn out quicker?
If light bulbs are burning out quickly the light fixture could be getting too much electricity due to faulty wiring. They could also burn out due to a loose wire or screwing the light bulb in too tight.
Why is argon a good gas to use in light bulbs?
Light bulbs are filled with argon AND nitrogen because they don't burn up the light bulb as quickly. It take a high tempertaure in a light bulb to create the light. The heat in the light bulb then causes chemical reactions. If there was just air in a light bulb, then the element would quickly react with the oxidize (oxygen) and burn out the light bulb. Now, with the light bulb filled with argon and some nitrogen because in the high temperature, the chemical reacts with these elements much more slowly, therefore keeping the light bulb lit longer.Incandescent light bulbs heat a tungsten filament to extremely high temperatures. At such temperatures ordinary air would rapidly oxidize the filament and the bulb would burn out in seconds. Instead the bulbs are filled with argon, which is inert and will not react with the tungsten under any conditions.Argon is frequently used when an inert atmosphere is needed. It is used to fill incandescent and fluorescent light bulbs to prevent oxygen from corroding the hot filament. Argon is also used to form inert atmospheres for arc welding, growing semiconductor crystals and processes that require shielding from other atmospheric gases.Because a radioactive form of argon is produced by decay of a naturally occurring radioactive potassium isotope.It is an inert gas and so completely inactive to heat. As a result it does not change into any other compound or burn in the presence of excessive heat produced in the light bulb due to passage of current through tungsten wire.Argon is a noble gas, which means it is inert (unreactive). Air however contains around 20% oxygen. If the bulb is filled with air, the atmospheric oxygen will oxidise the filament. this then cause it to not shine so brightly/not shine. The oxygen can also cause the filament to burn, making the bulb dangerous. Therefore, Argon provides an inert atmosphere to prevent the above from happening.If I remember correctly, if air was used, the filament would burn extremely fast, only giving about three seconds of light before the filament is completely burnt up (or all the oxygen in the bulb has oxidized).Quick experiment: Attach a wire to the positive and negative sides of a large flashlight battery (the large rectangular ones with the two coils coming from the top... I can't think of the proper size). Attach the back of one alligator clip to the open end of each wire (so the clip part is not clipped on the wire). String out some steel wool until you have a single strand (or two or three wound together). This essentially is a light bulb filament. Clip it into the two alligator clips and watch how fast it burns.
How is a light bulb dangers?
A light bulb is dangerous because if leave it on too long it will burn.
How many days the light bulb lasted?
Takes 300 hours for the average light bulb to burn out
What does the exclamation light mean on the dashboard?
You probably have a light bulb burn.
What won't burn over a light bulb?
glass
Does a light bulb glow brigther with a thin or thick wire?
A thinner wire in the bulb increases resistance and causes the metal to " burn hotter" converting the electrical energy into thermal and radiant energy
Why are light bulbs filled with argon and not air?
If you use air instead of argon to fill a light bulb, the air will burn the light bulb.
What are the causes and effects of incandescent light bulb?
Because of the creation of the light bulb you could Illuminate a room without dangerous candles Turn the lights on and off quickly It can burn for 40 hours You won't have to replace a lightbulb as often as you replace candles
What will happen if you put an Improper bulb in a light fixture?
it will burn
How long does it take for a light bulb to burn out?
3 months
Is there a scientific explanation to the tiny dots flies make on hanging light bulbs?
Just spots of excrement that the bulb heats and causes to turn dark or burn.
how many days the bulb lasted?
Takes 300 hours for the average light bulb to burn out
Does Edison's light bulb still burn in Smithsonian?
the first light bulb was created over 200 years ago but sadly the light bulb stopped working when a stanger took the light bulb from the museum 20 years ago.
