Will a lightbulb work in a completely black room?

gbee · 27-10-2011 10:54pm

As a former wet darkroom technician, matt black was not the most absorbent and non reflective colour to use ~ green was.

A darkroom with one white light would be very stark. very high contrast and no shadows with little graduations.

puffin24 · 27-10-2011 10:54pm

Im sure if I explain to my landlady that it was all in the name of science she would be cool with me moving all the furniture outside and painting a room black and blocking up the windows. "But look how cool the floating bulb is!" I will cry as she beats me up with a sock full of change amounting to my deposit.

westendgirlie · 27-10-2011 10:55pm

I just took a muscle relaxant. This thread is fun

4leto · 27-10-2011 10:56pm

It would work but just how would find the switch.

27-10-2011 10:57pm

westendgirlie wrote: »

I just took a muscle relaxant. .........

Laxative??

Capt'n Midnight · 27-10-2011 10:58pm

For years it has been believed that electric bulbs emitted light. However, more recent information has proven otherwise. Electric bulbs don't emit light, they suck dark. Thus we call these bulbs dark suckers. The dark sucker theory proves the existence of dark, that dark has mass heavier than that of light, and that dark is faster than light.

The basis of the dark sucker theory is that electric bulbs suck dark. Take, for example, the dark suckers in the room where you are. There is less dark right next to them than there is elsewhere. The larger the dark sucker, the greater its capacity to suck dark. Dark suckers in a parking lot have much greater capacity than the ones in this room. As with all things, dark suckers don't last forever. Once they are full of dark, they can no longer suck. This is proven by the black spot on a full dark sucker. A candle is a primitive dark sucker. A new candle has a white wick. You will notice that after the first use, the wick turns black, representing all of the dark that has been sucked into it. If you hold a pencil next to the wick of an operating candle, the tip will turn black because it got in the way of the dark flowing into the candle. Unfortunately, these primitive dark suckers have a very limited range. There are also portable dark suckers. The bulbs in these can't handle all of the dark by themselves, and must be aided by a dark storage unit. When the dark storage unit is full, it must either be emptied or replaced before the portable dark sucker can operate again.

Dark has mass. When dark goes into a dark sucker, friction from this mass generates heat. Thus, it is not wise to touch an operating dark sucker.

Candles present a special problem as the dark must travel into a solid wick instead of through glass. This generates a great amount of heat. Thus, it can be very dangerous to touch an operating candle.

osnola ibax · 27-10-2011 10:58pm

Destiny Sweet Nunnery wrote: »

Random thing : It is a cool question in fairness which led me to my question is anything ever smooth?
A completely matt surface should reflect nothing - and that got me thinkinh to something that, I think, was in the hitchhikers guide to the glalaxy where someone couldn't feel a spaceship cos it was completely smooth and there was no friction in rubbing it?

Maybe this has nothing to do with question now but cant they image atoms now using a machine that runs along the piece of matter, detecting the atom spheres ( this is off the top of my head). So a row of atoms cant be smooth and all solid matter consists of rows of atoms*

* may be completely made up and untrue

Red Hand · 27-10-2011 10:59pm

Been reading Flann O Brien again, Captain Midnight?:P

epgc3fyqirnbsx · 27-10-2011 11:00pm

osnola ivax wrote: »

Maybe this has nothing to do with question now but cant they image atoms now using a machine that runs along the piece of matter, detecting the atom spheres ( this is off the top of my head). So a row of atoms cant be smooth and all solid matter consists of rows of atoms*

* may be completely made up and untrue

ehh... is there anyone cleverer here?

puffin24 · 27-10-2011 11:05pm

Destiny Sweet Nunnery wrote: »

ehh... is there anyone cleverer here?

Nope! Thats why this thread got so many -"lol! youre an idiot!" comments at the start.

oppenheimer1 · 27-10-2011 11:07pm

westendgirlie wrote: »

I just took a muscle relaxant.

Poppers?

osnola ibax · 27-10-2011 11:11pm

Destiny Sweet Nunnery wrote: »

ehh... is there anyone cleverer here?

This is the lad I was talking about.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scanning_tunneling_microscope

Logical Fallacy · 27-10-2011 11:15pm

Destiny Sweet Nunnery wrote: »

Random thing : It is a cool question in fairness which led me to my question is anything ever smooth?
A completely matt surface should reflect nothing - and that got me thinkinh to something that, I think, was in the hitchhikers guide to the glalaxy where someone couldn't feel a spaceship cos it was completely smooth and there was no friction in rubbing it?

Friction is just one facet of the sense of touch, if you can apply or feel pressure from something you can feel it.

Capt'n Midnight · 27-10-2011 11:16pm

Red Hand wrote: »

Been reading Flann O Brien again, Captain Midnight?:P

someday I'll get to read the Third policeman.

Thrill · 27-10-2011 11:18pm

http://images.sciencedaily.com/2008/01/080122154610-large.jpg

The new darkest manmade material, with its 0.045 percent reflectance (center), is noticeably darker than the 1.4 percent NIST reflectance standard (left) and a piece of glassy carbon (right). (2008)

The material, a thin coating comprised of low-density arrays of loosely vertically-aligned carbon nanotubes, absorbs more than 99.9 percent of light and one day could be used to boost the effectiveness and efficiency of solar energy conversion, infrared sensors, and other devices.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080122154610.htm

A room made of this stuff would probably be the closest you could come to finding out.

The experience would be weird. Imagine being in the room with just a torch, (no light bulb on the ceiling) shining it in all directions and seeing nothing.

Red Hand · 27-10-2011 11:20pm

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

Friction is just one facet of the sense of touch, if you can apply or feel pressure from something you can feel it.

That depends on whether you separate out pressure sensing and touching into separate senses. You can feel pressure without touching being involved. Likewise, heat sensing and touch...related but a case can be made for separating them.

epgc3fyqirnbsx · 27-10-2011 11:20pm

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

Friction is just one facet of the sense of touch, if you can apply or feel pressure from something you can feel it.

yeah thats what i was thinking but it sounded cool when i read it

4leto · 27-10-2011 11:26pm

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

For years it has been believed that electric bulbs emitted light. However, more recent information has proven otherwise. Electric bulbs don't emit light, they suck dark. Thus we call these bulbs dark suckers. The dark sucker theory proves the existence of dark, that dark has mass heavier than that of light, and that dark is faster than light.

Everytime I turn on those ecco bulbs the room definitely gets darker.

zuroph · 27-10-2011 11:28pm

to simulate, could we stick a load of white paper over lens of torch so that it barely glows but doesnt illuminate anything other than itself, and stand in a pitch dark room?

Plazaman · 27-10-2011 11:36pm

Theres your problem. Is it painted Black or Very Very Very Very Very Dark Blue? There's a difference.

bodhrandude · 28-10-2011 12:05am

Ah but can you see a black light or a black density maker in a white room, that would be interesting, imagine black lasers.

mikom · 28-10-2011 12:08am

puffin24 wrote: »

Will a lightbulb work in a completely black room?

If it's white, then yes.

revell · 28-10-2011 12:12am

OP, I see your point. In a room painted with pure white, you actually do not need a light bulb turned on to see the wall.;)

johnam · 28-10-2011 12:17am

bodhrandude wrote: »

Ah but can you see a black light or a back density maker in a white room, that would be interesting, imagine black lasers.

beat me to it, was reading all the posts thinking, "what if the bulb was a black light?" and then got to your post and ...well...I wanted to ask that:mad:

nice_very · 28-10-2011 12:26am

black is actually the absence of light, therefore switching on a light in a totally black room would lead to a major paradox in the time/space continuam, and possibly the end of the universe*

*not yet proven, just a theory

AlmightyCushion · 28-10-2011 12:27am

minidazzler wrote: »

How black is black?

The answer is none. None more black.

Logical Fallacy · 28-10-2011 12:31am

Red Hand wrote: »

That depends on whether you separate out pressure sensing and touching into separate senses. You can feel pressure without touching being involved. Likewise, heat sensing and touch...related but a case can be made for separating them.

Not really, i wouldn't draw too much of a line between something you feel by radiation and something you feel by convection.

Not too sure what you mean about feeling pressure without touching being involved. There is always contact between the human body and the world, we spend all day walking around in a fluid after all.

Destiny Sweet Nunnery wrote: »

yeah thats what i was thinking but it sounded cool when i read it

The joy of Douglas Adams is he knew enough about science to leave out things that would kill the humour.

Noo · 28-10-2011 12:41am

I'd imagine it'd be like that scene in finding nemo where the big ugly fish dangles its light antenna thingy and it floats around in the blackness. The only things that would be seen would be the bulb and yourself in the room. Heres a reminder...

The floaty light thingy is the light bulb and the ugly fish is you.

http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/pixar/images/4/49/Anglerfish.jpg

Logical Fallacy · 28-10-2011 12:44am

Noo wrote: »

I'd imagine it'd be like that scene in finding nemo where the big ugly fish dangles its light antenna thingy and it floats around in the blackness. The only things that would be seen would be the bulb and yourself in the room. Heres a reminder...

Not really, as the surfaces of the walls, ceiling, floor and objects within the room would be at different angles and have different surfaces you'd be able to see them. It might be slightly difficult to make out shapes but that's about it.

Black surfaces still reflect light...if they didn't they would be invisible.

Noo · 28-10-2011 12:49am

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

Not really, as the surfaces of the walls, ceiling, floor and objects within the room would be at different angles and have different surfaces you'd be able to see them. It might be slightly difficult to make out shapes but that's about it.

Black surfaces still reflect light...if they didn't they would be invisible.

Depends how big the room is and how bright the light is

Logical Fallacy · 28-10-2011 12:52am

Noo wrote: »

Depends how big the room is and how bright the light is

Well that roughly applies to any room of any color.

I guess it also depends entirely on the placement of the light and the method of suspension.

I reckon talking about this concept without the stipulation that the light is obviously strong enough to illuminate the room adequately were it not painted black is pointless though. If the room is black but the room is too big and the light is too weak to offer proper illumination then it's just a loaded experimental concept.

ballsymchugh · 28-10-2011 12:58am

paint the light bulb black, then turn it on. the room will get darker again.

CrazyRabbit · 28-10-2011 1:02am

Crown or Dulux paint? Brushed or rolled on? I need variables god dammit!!

Jimoslimos · 28-10-2011 1:09am

The sun works reasonably well in a fairly dark space

I see the OPs question though, in a completely dark room, where the walls reflect 0% of the light then you should only see the bulb.

Logical Fallacy · 28-10-2011 1:11am

Jimoslimos wrote: »

The sun works reasonably well in a fairly dark space

I see the OPs question though, in a completely dark room, where the walls reflect 0% of the light then you should only see the bulb.

I don't think there is any material that reflects 0% of light.

I think the lowest is about 0.1% and it looks kind of blue.

Jimoslimos · 28-10-2011 1:15am

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

I don't think there is any material that reflects 0% of light.

I think the lowest is about 0.1% and it looks kind of blue.

Is that enough for human vision to distinguish?

Edit: I'm an idiot - of course if it looks blue in colour humans can 'see' it

Chuck Stone · 28-10-2011 1:20am

Apparently chocolate sponge cake is the most light absorbent substance in the known universe.

Noo · 28-10-2011 1:25am

Chuck Stone wrote: »

Apparently chocolate sponge cake is the most light absorbent substance in the known universe.

We must build this chocolate sponge cake room of yours to test this bulb theory.

I'll bring the tea.

gbee · 28-10-2011 2:26am

A light bulb will work if applied with the appropriate amount and rate of flowing electrons, electricity to you and me, it will illuminate, even if you forget to switch off, your electricity supplier will bill you, so, yes.

vampire of kilmainham · 28-10-2011 5:10am

puffin24 wrote: »

As title suggests. Cant find anything on google. If a room was totally painted black with no light coming in and nothing else in it what would it look like if you turned a light on?

bright of course. a light bulb will brighten up the darkest of rooms you might just need a higher wattage bulb if the room is as you describe

Capt'n Midnight · 28-10-2011 8:12am

the darkest* room is the vacuum of space , almost nothing# to reflect light , and if there is you won't see the reflection any time soon

the sun sorta works OK in this "dark room"

to do the expiriment you would simply turn off the sun till the reflections faded out , and then turn it on again, write down your findings in your notebook quickly since the light bouncing off the earth will be back to you in about 17 minutes time.

* excepting in the microwave region of course
# dark energy >> dark matter >> dust clouds

WhatNowForUs? · 28-10-2011 8:20am

This is great. Would a light bulb blind you in a room fully mirrored.

With regards the black room you should try it. I did it once - covered my room in black plastic bags and on the floor also, put a Pink Flyod CD on and opened a couple of cans. Absolute cool. One would have to be comfortable in themselves though. Don't smoke FIRE DANGER.

Donal Og O Baelach · 28-10-2011 8:26am

But all it lights up is THE BLACK!

Making the blackness easier to see!

Weylin · 28-10-2011 8:27am

...ave you been caught watching porn,again.......:D:D:D

Handy11 · 28-10-2011 8:34am

Don't forget that the air molecules in the room will be lit up, and while you wouldn't see the perfectly black walls, there would be a visible "lighting" around the bulb.

You'd need a vacuum for that complete blackness

sheesh · 28-10-2011 10:33am

puffin24 wrote: »

As title suggests. Cant find anything on google. If a room was totally painted black with no light coming in and nothing else in it what would it look like if you turned a light on?

*sits back on rocking chair

Back in the early ninties all the night clubs (or discos as we used call them) were painted in matt black paint and when the lights were on you could see them.

true story

Logical Fallacy · 28-10-2011 12:30pm

WhatNowForUs? wrote: »

This is great. Would a light bulb blind you in a room fully mirrored.

Nope, mirrors don't reflect 100% of light. I've been in a fully mirrored room that had plenty of light sources (it was part of an art installation) and it wasn't that bright...just odd as reflections bounced off around the room.

bnt · 28-10-2011 12:58pm

It's simple to understand if you divide the light in to a) reflected and b) direct.

A wall can only absorb or reflect the light that hits it, and a matt black wall would be very good at absorbing the light.

Direct light from the bulb to your eyes (or whatever) doesn't go via the walls, so the colour of the walls makes no difference to it.

Overall, then you would see the bulb directly, but you would not see any reflected light from the walls.

puffin24 · 28-10-2011 1:21pm

Hmm.. yes.. Thank you for all the useful comments. It started as a question my significant other asked last night. He had wanted to paint his room black as a 10 year old. I assumed it was because he was in a goth mood. But no, he said he wanted to see what would happen if he emptied it and blocked out all light and then turned a light on. I thought this was a profound question for a 10 year old to ask, so I turned to google for answers and as usual boards provided much better solutions. Still...waiting for someone with the funds to do it! I will take all donations to help make my man-boy live out his childhood dream

CrazyRabbit · 28-10-2011 5:53pm

What if the only person in the room was completely blind? Is the light even ever on then? To an outsider, it could be considered to be both on and off at the same time, yet neither. Without knowing of the light is on or off, how can we tell if it has been reflected off the walls?

Will a lightbulb work in a completely black room?

Comments