Why Won't the Lightbulb Light Up?

[minimario]

Homework Statement

Will the light bulb light up?

Homework Equations

N/A

The Attempt at a Solution

Why won't it light up? I see a path from the - to the +!

 

[Aceix]

Homework Statement

Will the light bulb light up?

Homework Equations

N/A

The Attempt at a Solution

Why won't it light up? I see a path from the - to the +!

There will be no effective voltage setup across the light.

 

[berkeman]

It's a trick question. Once the battery explodes and catches on fire, there will be nothing to power the light...

@minimario -- Why will the battery explode? (That's a hint for the answer for this question...)

 

[Aceix]

It's a trick question. Once the battery explodes and catches on fire, there will be nothing to power the light...

@minimario -- Why will the battery explode? (That's a hint for the answer for this question...)

why will it explode?

 

[berkeman]

Let the OP answer first. It's his/her schoolwork question...

 

[minimario]

:/ idk hard

 

[berkeman]

Draw a simple schematic to represent how the clipleads are connected between the 2 terminals of the battery and the 2 terminals of the light bulb. How should they normally be connected? How are they connected in the drawing?

 

[minimario]

What you are talking about?

 

[berkeman]

What you are talking about?

Which word did you not understand?

 

[minimario]

I don't know how they are normally connected :/ (Should be positive to negative, or wat)

 

[Chestermiller]

I don't know how they are normally connected :/ (Should be positive to negative, or wat)

Are you saying that you don't know how to connect wires from the terminals of a battery to the terminals of a light bulb to make the light bulb light up?

Chet

 

[minimario]

Connect one to the positive side, and one to the negative side

 

[Chestermiller]

Connect one to the positive side, and one to the negative side

Excellent. But in your picture, both wires from the battery are connected to the same terminal of the light bulb.

Chet

 

[minimario]

Why are both wires connected to the same terminal?

 

[Chestermiller]

Why are both wires connected to the same terminal?

Because, in the scenario for your problem, someone connected them incorrectly. Do you think that, if the wires from the battery were connected in the manner shown in the figure, the light bulb will light?

Chet

 

[Aceix]

Let the OP answer first. It's his/her schoolwork question...

PM?

 

[NascentOxygen]

The drawing is unclear, unfortunately. This makes it ambiguous. You (and I) are seeing it differently to how the artist intended.

That's why berkeman set you the task back in post #7 of drawing a couple of sketches: they will help you to arrive at the explanation yourself, without needing to rely on others.

If you go on to study in the sciences this sort of ambiguity will crop up all too often, so you need to develop techniques for acknowledging the different interpretations and deciding which is likely the intended one. It's a little exercise in mind-reading!

Next step, go here: https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/why-wont-the-lightbulb-light-up.804904/#post-5052738

 

[DaveC426913]

The drawing is unclear, unfortunately. This makes it ambiguous. You (and I) are seeing it differently to how the artist intended.

Really? Where is there ambiguity?

 

[CWatters]

Draw a simple schematic to represent how the clipleads are connected between the 2 terminals of the battery and the 2 terminals of the light bulb. How should they normally be connected? How are they connected in the drawing?

+1 to that.

 

[berkeman]

PM?

Done!

 

[NascentOxygen]

Really? Where is there ambiguity?

When I looked at the pencil sketch, I saw two wires headed for a light bulb. One of the wires has been extended by clipping it to a third wire so it's long enough to reach the bulb's far terminal.

I gathered that the bulb is not glowing, yet it's expected to. Rusty clips? Bulb not screwed fully in? Filament blown? Wire not electrically bonded to clips? Etc.

The crucial confused connection is cunningly colour camouflaged! Light yellow on a paper-white background does not for a clear image make.

 

[DaveC426913]

When I looked at the pencil sketch, I saw two wires headed for a light bulb. One of the wires has been extended by clipping it to a third wire so it's long enough to reach the bulb's far terminal.
...
The crucial confused connection is cunningly colour camouflaged! Light yellow on a paper-white background does not for a clear image make.

Curioser and curioser. I see no pencil sketch. I see a realistic, CG diagram. It has three yellow wires.

I was going to guess that the original image in post #1 was updated after you examined it, but post 1 and its diagram are quoted in post 2, so, unless someone updated BOTH post images, that doesn't make sense.

 

[NascentOxygen]

Curioser and curioser. I see no pencil sketch. I see a realistic, CG diagram. It has three yellow wires.

I was going to guess that the original image in post #1 was updated after you examined it, but post 1 and its diagram are quoted in post 2, so, unless someone updated BOTH post images, that doesn't make sense.

It's an example of those cases where I'm tempted to grade the examiner, rather than the hapess student facing this poor excuse for a diagram.

For this artist, I give his clumsy effort 2/10, must do better next time.