Homework on Stale Blocks

What happens in the bitcoin network when two miners solve a block at the same time?
One miner will win and the chain will fork temporarily. the chain with the longest proof of work blockchain will win and the shortest will be orphaned and the transactions go back into the mempool.

What is a stale block?
A block that was in the blockchain but then dropped when the longer chain wins. aka orphaned block.

How do stale blocks occur?
Since this is in a global network, they occur when two miners mine a valid block at the same time, creating two different “versions of the truth” but then it is dropped when the longer chain wins and continues on without it.

Why is it important to wait for more than one block to be confirmed when sending or receiving a transaction?
It is important to wait for the recommended six confirmations in case a fork has occurred to make sure it is secured in the blockchain and does not become stale or orphaned.

1 Like
  1. What happens in the bitcoin network when two miners solve a block at the same time?

The blockchain splits in two and when another miners blocked gets linked to one of the two chains. The network with except the longest chain.

  1. What is a stale block?

A block that is dropped is called stale or orphan block.

  1. How do stale blocks occur?

When two blocks are mined at the same time then a stale block will occur.

  1. Why is it important to wait for more than one block to be confirmed when sending or receiving a transaction?

Its good to wait 6 blocks confirmations to make sure the block with your transaction dose not get dropped.

1 Like
  1. What happens in the bitcoin network when two miners solve a block at the same time?
    both blocks will be accepted and propagate the network, but the block with 6 confirmations and longest chain will ultimately stay in the blockchain, and the other block will be dropped, and all its transactions will be added to the mempool.
  2. What is a stale block?
    a stale block is a valid block that gets dropped from the network because it fails to get the confirmations that its competing block gets.
  3. How do stale blocks occur?
    stale blocks occur because two miners mine a block at the same time, but one block ultimately gets accepted over the other by the network because of happenstance that lead one block to be linked to a longer chain, and it obtains more confirmations. Thus, the stale block fails to be linked to new blocks and that’s why it is considered “stale.” Stale blocks are dropped from the network.
  4. Why is it important to wait for more than one block to be confirmed when sending or receiving a transaction?
    It is important to wait for more than one block to be confirmed when sending or receiving a transaction in the event that two block hashes are guessed at the same time and upended to the blockchain. The block that fails to get linked to the main chain gets dropped, and the transaction return to the mempool. This gives the network sufficient time to “sync” and confirm which of the competing blocks stays in the blockchain.
1 Like
  1. What happens in the bitcoin network when two miners solve a block at the same time?
    The one to which third miner append the next block will stay in a blockchain and the other will be dropped.

  2. What is a stale block?
    It is a block that was on the blockchain at one point of time but then it got dropped because there came another version of blockchain that was longer.

  3. How do stale blocks occur?
    They occur when two miners solve a block at the same time. Both blocks are part of blockchain for some time untill one of them which is occurs on shorter blockchain has to be dropped.

  4. Why is it important to wait for more than one block to be confirmed when sending or receiving a transaction?
    To be sure that we won’t have situation of stale block (and so our transaction would come back to mempool).

1 Like

If it has 1 confirmation it means its already included in a block. However in case there is a stale block, then the tx goes back to the mempool but its still hard to cancel it. The best way to do this would be to submit a new tx using the same UTXOs using a higher fee and send the funds to an address you own. :slight_smile:

1 Like
  1. Each will be sent through the network of nodes. The nodes closest to the miner will pick up the block request. The network must then wait for a confirmation to settle the consensus. The longest chain will be appended.

  2. A stale block is a valid block that was not in the longest chain and as a result is discarded and sent to the mempool.

  3. When the block time decreases (e.g 5mins) the block cannot be propagated through the network before a new block starts to propagate.

  4. To avoid a stale block occurring- must wait for 6 confirmations (6 new blocks) before it is officially appended

1 Like

1.the chain forks till one of them be orphaned and removed from the blockchain. the block that be with longest chain wins . the second called stale block and all the transactions in this block come back to the node mempools.
2.its the orphaned block that returns all the TX to mempool and becomes invalid
3.2 blocks produced by different miners only one of them can be taken by another miner and extend the chain (only one chain can be exist)
4. its very important to wait minimum 6 confirmation because all your transactions can dropped from the chain and you do not receive/send nothing

before this course i be sure need to wait until 2 confirmations ? i always wait for 2 confirmation it is wrong to do?(

1 Like
  1. What happens in the bitcoin network when two miners solve a block at the same time?
    If both blocks are valid, the the next miner who mines the block to follow on from this block. The choice of the block that the next miner chooses will determine the which one will become the stale block, this one will be removed from the block, and the other one will remain as part of the block chain.

  2. What is a stale block?

A stale block is a valid block that was removed from the blockchain.

  1. How do stale blocks occur?

A stale block occurs when the same block is mined by two miners and only one version can be accepted onto the chain.

  1. Why is it important to wait for more than one block to be confirmed when sending or receiving a transaction?

Because tour transaction could be placed into a stale block and returned to the mempool, which would then make the transaction unconfirmed again.

1 Like
  1. Then the two solved blocks are propagated to the network simultaneously and different nodes in the network is accepting the two blocks as truth. Then however the next miners comes in, and he link his block to one of the subsequent blocks. In this case the network will accept the blockchain where the miner added his block and the other block which was created previously is dropped by the network. This happen because the network will always follow the “longest blockchain”, which is the chain with the most Proof of work.

  2. A stale block is a block which was created simultanously as another block and was dropped from the network due to next miner choosing the other block to add to the blockchain.

  3. Stale blocks occur when two miners are hitting a nonce below the target simultaneously and propagate their block to the network in parallell.

  4. to minimize the issue with stale blocks. A minimum of 6 confirmations are recommended to ensure your transaction is successful. If your transaction is part of a stale block this transaction will be rejected by the network and sent back to the mempool.

1 Like
  1. this creates 2 different blockchains however eventually one will win because its the hardest to solve
  2. its when a block was accapted in the BC but later thrown out
  3. when multiple instances of the BC exist and eventually one will win the blocks in the other chain then become stale
  4. as the block still could become stale and the TX becomes invalid
1 Like
What happens in the bitcoin network when two miners solve a block at the same time?

2 versions of the blockchain exist until another miner mines a block with the previous block of blockchain it thought was truth therefore becoming the longer chain with PoW. the other chain with the block from other miner gets discarded and transactions for back to the mempool.

What is a stale block?

A stale block is a block that was mined at the same time as another block but didn’t make final version of the blockchain through the PoW cycle.

How do stale blocks occur?

Stale blocks occur when two blocks are mined at the same time and propagated through parts of the network but haven’t made in far enough in the network and then also doesn’t have another miner mine their own block that makes it onto the blockchain.

Why is it important to wait for more than one block to be confirmed when sending or receiving a transaction?

It is important to wait so that the blockchain can stabilize through the network and determine through PoW and longest chain which version of the blockchain is correct.

1 Like
  1. What happens in the bitcoin network when two miners solve a block at the same time?
    Both blocks are propagated through the network as they both are valid and can be added to the chain.
    Which block gets appended to the network is decided by the following blocks. The longer chain(more POF) wins

  2. What is a stale block?
    The stale or orphaned block is the block that although is correct isn’t appended to the chain.

  3. How do stale blocks occur?
    The stale blocks are formed when more than one block is mined correctly and they ‘compete’ for a place in chain. The one which is dropped is a stale block. All tx are going back to mempool.

  4. Why is it important to wait for more than one block to be confirmed when sending or receiving a transaction?
    The transaction might be in a block that will be dropped and become a stale or orphaned block.

2 Likes

1.Chain splits in 2.
2.Block who is mined correctly.
3.between 2 blocks just one can win in same time.
4.minimize stale blocks,its better to wait 6 tx to be sure that block is mined correctly.

1 Like

Stale blocks will occur either way. The reason why a user should wait for more confirmations is in case his tx is part of it. :slight_smile:

1 Like

I think I already replied you in another thread. The longer you wait the safer it gets. :wink:

1 Like
  1. What happens in the bitcoin network when two miners solve a block at the same time?

Both blocks are being added to the network but in the end nodes will confirm only 1 blockchain whichever will be longer as more secure & other blocks will be dropper. Transaction will go back to mempool.

  1. What is a stale block?

Stale block is the block that’s been added to the blockchain but was dropped after nodes decided to go with a longer more secure chain.

  1. How do stale blocks occur?

When miners solved the puzzle at almost the same time both blocks would be accepted by different nodes at first.

  1. Why is it important to wait for more than one block to be confirmed when sending or receiving a transaction?

Because the block that has your transaction in, can be dropped due to your transaction being in the stale block.

1 Like
  1. When two miners solve a block at the same time, their copies of the blockchain are spread throughout to their closest nodes. The next miner that solves a block will choose which miner’s previous block to solve their block. This miner solving the next block determines which block chain copy is correct if they are the first to mine the next block.

  2. A stale block is a dropped block.

  3. Stale blocks occur when simultaneous blocks are solved and the next block to be solved chooses which previous simulatenous block to add to their chain leaving the remaining block as a dropped block or stale block.

  4. It’s important to wait at least 6 confirmed blocks before sending or receiving transactions, because if you start working on a block that is out of sync, your block will not be accepted and it will become a stale block.

1 Like
  1. The version picked up by the miner will be accepted and the other discarded
  2. A block that is orphaned when a blockchain is discarded due to a shorter POW.
  3. When there are two versions of the blockchain and one is discarded.
  4. To reduce the chances of a stale block occuring and the transaction getting dropped.
1 Like
  1. Both blocks will be attach the the blockchain until one of the those gets rejected

  2. a block who has been rejected from the chainblock or network and it get back to the mempool.

3.Basically it when a block is drop from the blockchain because it is not part of the longest POW blockchain

  1. There will be a lot of stale block, therefore problably jam the mempool.
1 Like
  • What happens in the bitcoin network when two miners solve a block at the same time?

They will co-exist momentarily, until one becomes confirmed by the following block(s).

  • What is a stale block?

It is the block that was dropped. The finished block that was not confirmed.

  • How do stale blocks occur?

They occur by a miner solving the puzzle at the same exact time as another miner. They both do not recognize each other. They think they are the truth. Once more blocks are created sometimes one sometimes it takes more as they both compete for the correct version of truth one will lose. The looser is dropped… All nodes and miners will remove the block(s) calling them now… stale blocks.

  • Why is it important to wait for more than one block to be confirmed when sending or receiving a transaction?

Their might be two versions of truth running at the same time. 6 confirmations is the ultimate confirmation.

1 Like