light bulbs

[lord molly]

how hot does the filiment of a 60W light bulb get? is it hotter than burning magnesium, which burns at roughly 2500*C?

cheers

[JustSia]

Have a look in here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_bulb

Luminous efficacy and efficiency chapter.

S.

[jake-the-peg]

a very similar temperature actually

http://hypertextbook.com/facts/1999/AlexanderEng.shtml

Although the temperature you quote is for the metal not the incandecent burning flame - this reaches 5000 degrees.

http://www.chem.leeds.ac.uk/delights/texts/Demonstration_20.htm

Presumably this is why the bulb's light is much yellower than the white light you get from magnesium.

[tony1941]

Have a look here:

http://www.rogercavanagh.com/helpinfo/31_colourtemp.stm

opposite 4000K he states "what are they?" I'm old enough to remember them, and they are simply magnesium wire in a glass/plastic envelope. If you search "colour temperature" on Google you will find all the data you need, but be aware that a photographer calls a colour temperature of, say, 12,000K "cooler" than one of 3000K (since a bluer tint is instinctively "colder" than an orangey-red glow)

[lord molly]

cheers guys, all were good links, thanks

lord molly