alt.sci.physics

"eric h" wrote in message
news: @ ...
> Hi,
>
> Trying to find this out for a project (not a school one).
>
> I've been looking all over the place for this information and it just
> doesn't seem to exist.
>
> We all know that incandescent lightbulbs get very hot. Most of us
> know that the Easy-bake oven used to use lightbulbs to cook food.
>
> But how hot does a 100 Watt lightbulb actually get, if you assume
> perfect insulation around it?
>
> I've read that the filament "burns" at 1722 F, but that doesn't sound
> right.
>
Research on t'internet suggests

The filament temperature depends on the type of bulb, but can easily be more
than 3,000 Celsius (maybe even up to 3,300C for high power projector bulbs)

The glass bulb is likely to melt when the ambient temperature reaches about
1600C - after which the air will oxidise the hot filament and blow the bulb

Any pure copper components are likely to melt before the temperature reaches
about 1100C .

Internal joints will melt at the appropriate temperature for the braze or
solder used ( maybe 500C )

Any of the above would probably cause the bulb to fail.