Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Science/2021 April 19

= April 19 =

Over-current in lamp socket?
So, there's one particular lamp socket in my home where the bulb burns out much faster than in any other fixture (and once, when it burned out, it actually made a loud popping noise, almost like a blasting cap) -- which makes me think, could it be that this one fixture draws much more current than the others (despite the bulb being a standard 40-watt one)? What could possibly cause that? 2601:646:8A01:B180:8884:2B54:C0AA:7CD0 (talk) 09:04, 19 April 2021 (UTC)
 * I seem to recall that an incandescent bulb would burn twice as bright if there was twice the current. Or maybe 4 times as bright. Abductive  (reasoning) 09:26, 19 April 2021 (UTC)
 * To get twice the current, you also need twice the voltage. Actually a bit more, as resistance increases with temperature. So that's a bit more than 4 times the power. Brightness will increase stronger than power, as there'll be more visible light compared to infrared. Temperature will rise by over 40%, which means very quick failure. PiusImpavidus (talk) 18:18, 19 April 2021 (UTC)
 * Have you checked the wattage rating of that fixture? Some fittings don't permit much air flow which can result in the bulb overheating.--Shantavira|feed me 11:59, 19 April 2021 (UTC)


 * It's a while ago that I used any of those incandescent light bulbs (they've been banned in Europe for quite a while), but I remember that they can fail with a bang – not the kind of bang shattering the glass. I've got no experience with blasting caps, so can't compare, but I think electric blasting caps work the same way as failing incandescant lights. My first guess is that you (or someone else in the house) use the light in that particular socket a bit more than you thought. They usually work for about 1000 hours or so, so the more hours per week it's on, the fewer weeks until it fails. Another possibility is vibration. In any case, the current drawn by the bulb is set by the bulb itself (and the power supply, which is the same for all sockets). The socket should have no influence on the current – and if it has, by having extra resistance, it lowers the current, making the light dim and longer lasting. PiusImpavidus (talk) 18:18, 19 April 2021 (UTC)


 * I've seen an incandescent light bulb fail in a way that broke the glass. Because the filament can be made in various shapes, it's possible for it to break and one of the broken pieces to form a short-circuit with the other one.  In this case it apparently did that, lit up more brightly than normal and made a humming sound for a few seconds, then part of the overheated filament broke and burst through the glass.  From the distance the fragments traveled, I estimated that they left the bulb at about 12 mph.


 * As Pius says, the socket should have no influence on the amount of current -- unless the voltage is higher than at other sockets (but that would imply a wiring fault and would not likely be a permanent condition, and you'd notice the bulb being brighter than normal). Vibration or insufficient airflow seem more likely.  --184.147.181.129 (talk) 01:20, 20 April 2021 (UTC)


 * Does it pop while the light is already on, or does it pop the moment you turn the light on? ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 21:27, 19 April 2021 (UTC)


 * As far as usage, that particular fixture is on the same switch as another identical fixture (so the amount of use they get is identical), but burns out more than twice as fast as the other one -- so usage in and of itself is not the problem. Nor is there any vibration (which, moreover, would once again have affected the 2 fixtures in the same way) -- however, overheating could be the problem (I checked the problem fixture just today and found a fairly large (2 inches), dead moth inside it -- which could in principle disrupt the airflow!) 2601:646:8A01:B180:8DAE:8B87:A52D:42A0 (talk) 05:53, 20 April 2021 (UTC)
 * Is it possible someone has done something completely dumb like wired the faster one to the two phases of the Split-phase electric power (as this seems to be in the US)? It's should be possible to do this even with a shared switch depending on the design of the switch. Nil Einne (talk) 13:16, 21 April 2021 (UTC)
 * I had an apartment that had a recepticle with 120 V slot configuration that was wired with 240 V split-phase, and a relative also had a house with this...feature. In both cases, it was an recepticle under a window. Best we can tell, the purpose of having 240 V available there was for higher-voltate window air conditioner units. We don't know if previously someone had altered the wire on a 240 V A/C to fit the 120 V recepticle or if someone used the wrong wiring when intending it for 120 V uses. Blew out a few appliances before someone with a volt-meter tested and found the mistake. DMacks (talk) 06:10, 22 April 2021 (UTC)
 * Not possible -- I've lived in the same place for many years and the problem has only appeared recently, and there have been no recent changes in the wiring. So I think only the moth could possibly be to blame after all! 2601:646:8A01:B180:817E:DAE9:6844:2CB0 (talk) 11:00, 22 April 2021 (UTC)

Is it possible to restore DMX’s dead body?
I came up with this idea a few minutes after I heard that he died, which was about 3 days ago. I think that DMX’s body can be revived with these steps, which can be solved after we know what has happened to his dead body. (Unless his body has been incinerated)

Answermeplease11 (talk) 18:11, 19 April 2021 (UTC)


 * Although there have been several instances of people recovering after being declared dead (see Lazarus syndrome), there are no known methods for resurrecting or reanimating deceased humans.
 * Within hours of an individual being declared clinically dead, vital organs such as their brain and heart begin to fail on a cellular level, known as "molecular death". Beyond this point, it is unlikely that their organs could be procured for transplanting, and absolutely impossible that they could be resuscitated or restored.
 * The rapper known as DMX was declared dead on April 9, 2021 at the age of 50. Barring a sudden technological breakthrough in artificial intelligence (see Mind uploading) and/or time travel (see Technological resurrection), I am sad to say that it is very unlikely that he could be restored to life by any method. RoxySaunders (talk · contribs) 19:26, 19 April 2021 (UTC)

you havent told me what happened to DMX’s dead body. I would still like know what happened to it, even if want to restore the body. Just please, tell me what happened to it, then I can come up with my solution. (I will possibly be well known in the future for coming up with strategies and solutions)

Answermeplease11 (talk) 20:34, 19 April 2021 (UTC)
 * At the moment, at least, his Findagrave entry says "burial details unknown". ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 21:02, 19 April 2021 (UTC)
 * I do not know. The exact state of Mr. Simmons' remains (embalming, cremation, burial, etc.) is a private matter which has not been reported by any media sources. His family have requested privacy in their time of grief, so it would be inappropriate for me to speculate.
 * While the Reference Desk is not a credible fount for legal or medical advice, I would strongly advise against any futile attempt to steal and resurrect the body of any deceased individual against their wishes. Yours truly, RoxySaunders (talk · contribs) 21:03, 19 April 2021 (UTC)

, I dont want to steal the body! I just want to call their family, just to ask them if his body can be restored. If they say no, I dont care. But at least he has kids which will continue his legacy! (And learn not to take drugs)

Answermeplease11 (talk) 21:17, 19 April 2021 (UTC)
 * You're wandering into inappropriate territory. You had best close out this section. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 21:26, 19 April 2021 (UTC)

Sorry,, just got stuck in a thought. But was my thought a bad one, or a good one?

Answermeplease11 (talk) 21:30, 19 April 2021 (UTC)
 * Good if kept to yourself. Bad if openly stated. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 21:45, 19 April 2021 (UTC)

So,, should I delete this talk?

Answermeplease11 (talk) 21:49, 19 April 2021 (UTC)