Does a fridge light turn off turn off when you close the door? How can you be sure of this?

Question

Does a fridge light turn off turn off when you close the door? How can you be sure of this?

Answer 1

yes

Answer 2

go sit inside and close the door behind you?

But maybe if you thought you knew you wouldn't really know for sure it did it every time - maybe sometimes when it thought that you weren't watching or not bovvered, it might act the maggot.

Its obviously a mystery and part of a greater plan we are not to know.

Answer 3

OMG! What is this question doing in philosophy? It belongs in non-relativistic quantum mechanics... if you observe something you change it... the only way to know what's really going on is to not observe it in action... only observe the results... which have changed since their creation because you are now observing them.. 1 + 1 = 1.8...

Personally, I think the photons have a little party in there that's why the salsa always seems to disappear so fast. Of course if you try to observe what goes on when you're not looking you won't see the photon party and the salsa will mold...

Answer 4

To be sure of anything is impossible, but we can have a pretty good idea.  

To those of you who wonder why this question is in philosophy, or think that this gentleman is actually curious about the state of the lightbulb in his fridge, I would like to point out what he is getting at here (or at least what he SHOULD be trying to get at).  

This question is about the old argument between philosophers of science (and some scientists) about what science actually is, how it should function, and what it should do.  Is science about predictions based upon observational models, or is science about explanations based upon unifying principles?  

This example is one great example of how to argue for the explanatory power of science.  Even though this is clearly a facetious example, the idea is: how can you know something when you can't observe it?  (obviously quantum mechanics comes to mind).  

The scientist who favors the explanatory power would tell you, "Yes the light does go off when you close the door.  You can be relatively sure of this because, even though we cannot directly observe the state of the light in a closed fridge, we can EXPLAIN the way that fridge lights work.  We can discover that the light is run by an electric current which is cut off when a certain button is pressed, and the closing door pressed the button, etc. etc."

If you can have an explanation which tells you why you should believe that the light is off, even though you cannot verify this with your senses, it's ok to be pretty sure about it.  Science is not simply about making observations, it is about explanations!

Answer 5

You just gotta have faith in these things.

Okay, kidding. You either buy yourself a wireless camera, program it to play in real time on your computer, implant it into the milk carton (so the fridge won't know the difference and try something funny on you), and figure out what's really going on (you should probably track it for a week, see if it happens all the time. Just to be sure)....or you press that little button by the hinge. Either way really.  

Very philosophical. When you can get proof, take it. Where you can't, you need to try harder.

Answer 6

Just press the sticky out thing from the light bay that operates the on/off switch!

Answer 7

use a glowstick! :D

Answer 8

if you slowly shut the door to the point where it's almost closed, you'll see the light go off. but good question! haha

Answer 9

I put my phone to record and put it in the fridge, the light was off, however I don't know what happens if there's no camera there...

Answer 10

it does

theres no need at all to double check double check

Answer 11

not at all

Answer 12

Drill a hole through the door, then shut it and peep through.

Will need to buy a new fridge though.

Answer 13

put a digital video recorder in the fridge, shut the door, leave only 5 seconds, take it out and review the evidence.

Answer 14

Yes, it turns off, but this marks the far reaches of my faith so don't press me further...

Answer 15

Because if I close my fridge until I can only peep in the light is off.

Answer 16

Take the cover off the light. Close the door for , say, 1/2 hour. Open the door and touch the light. If it is hot,the light has been on, and if cold, it has not!

Answer 17

Because there's a button that the door pushes on when it closes that turns the light off. You can experiment with just pushing the button with your finger if you want....

Answer 18

depends on your fridge, but my old house mate had one with a glass door..and yes, the light did go off when he closed it..other than that, if you drill a hole in the door...?  :D

Answer 19

as sure of anything else in science

Answer 20

because when you press the button in the fridge with the door open it goes off!

Answer 21

Sometimes you can see it go off when you have the door slightly open.

Answer 22

drill a hole in your frodge so that you can see whether the light is on or not while the fridge door is closed.

Answer 23

Press the like button that the door hits when the door closes while the door is open, oh just close the door as far closed as possible until you can see