An incandescent light bulb, incandescent lamp or incandescent light globe is an electric light with a wire filament heated to such a high temperature that it glows with visible light (incandescence). The filament is protected from oxidation with a glass or fused quartz bulb that is filled with inert gas or a vacuum. read more
The filament in a light bulb is housed in a sealed, oxygen-free chamber to prevent combustion. In the first light bulbs, all the air was sucked out of the bulb to create a near vacuum-- an area with no matter in it. Since there wasn't any gaseous matter present (or hardly any), the material could not combust. read more
The filament of most incandescent light bulbs today is made of tungsten. Tungsten has a melting point of 3422 degrees Celsius, or slightly under 3700 Kelvin. When electric current is passed through the filament, the temperature of the filament increases. read more