Homework on Stale Blocks

Blockchain and Bitcoin 101
#462

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

  1. Both blocks get added to the blockchain

What is a stale block?
2. A stale block is a block or string of blocks that get dropped from the blockchain. When this happens the TX’s get put back into the mempool.

How do stale blocks occur?
3. Stale blocks occur when 2 blocks complete their puzzle solving at the same time and hence both get added to the blockchain. At this point there is a fork and effectively 2 separate blockchains. When the next block is completed it attaches itself to one of the 2 blockchains it considers is the true blockchain which then makes that chain the longest chain, and as the blockchain considers the longest being the truest it drops the other forked chain and blocks thereby leaving a single chain again.

Why is it important to wait for more than one block to be confirmed when sending or receiving a transaction?
4. To allow the time to propagate the updated blockchain information globally throughout the network.

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#463

If miner A and miner B solve a block at the same time, certain nodes will receive the block of miner A first, others will receive block of miner B first. Then the miner who solves the next block first will decide which blockchain is the valid one. If he used the block of miner A as his previous block, miner A wins. Other wise miner B wins. All nodes will then eventually accept the longest chain.

It is a valid block that once was part of the blockchain, but got removed because it was part of a “dying” blockchain.

It occurs if not all nodes receive the same block. The chain temporarily divides in two parts. Eventually one chain dies and all nodes agree on the other chain as the valid one. Then the blocks of the abandoned chain are called “stale”.

It should be done to ensure that one’s transaction is not inside of a stale block.

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#464

  1. This is sent to nodes nearest to the miners. Once another miner adds a block to a specific chain this will become the longest block and shall be sent around the network. All nodes will then validate this chain and the competing block shall be dropped with the transactions returning to the mempool.

  2. A stale block is one that has been dropped from the blockchain.

  3. When this has been dropped from the blockchain as this is now part of the shortest chain so does not get included onto the blockchain.

  4. This ensures that everyone has validated the block and that they are happy with this being added to the blockchain.

#465
  1. The blockchain splits in two untill other block is mined and added to either one of the chains. Then the longest blockchain is the valid one.
  2. Valid but dropped from the chain block.
  3. When two miner mine a block at the same time and after another block is added to one of the chains. The last block at the shorter of the two blockchains is called Stale Block.
  4. To avoid the stale block situations.
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#466
  • What happens in the bitcoin network when two miners solve a block at the same time? they both get propagated through th network but only the longest one gets appended and the other one gets dropped.
  • What is a stale block? it´s the block that gets dropped
  • How do stale blocks occur? when two blocks are created at the same time, they get picked up by the miners befor and other blocks added to it. The block that gets the longest chain gets approved first and the other one gets dropped and becomes a stale block and its transactions sent back to the mempool.
  • Why is it important to wait for more than one block to be confirmed when sending or receiving a transaction? to make sure that the block doesn´t get dropped, so best to wait for 6 confirmations.
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#467

  1. When two miners solve a block at the same time, the bitcoin network gives the block to the miner with more Pow and the other miners block gets dropped and gets added to a mempool.

  2. Stale block is a dropped block that does not get used.

  3. When another miners block solves the puzzle quicker than the block that gets dropped.

  4. We want to wait for more than one block to be confirmed in case the block you are sending/receiving gets dropped.

#468
  1. The chain forks temporarily and then longest chain will be accepted by the network, so one of the two blocks will be appended to the blockchain while the other will be removed.
  2. A stale block is a block that has been removed by the blockchain and whose transactions are back into the Mempool because another block that was produced at the same time was accepted instead of the stale block because it was part of a longer chain (i.e. with more PoW).
  3. When there are two versions of the truth regarding the blockchain, i.e. two blocks are added at the same time, the blockchain forks temporarily and after the network agrees on one version of truth (adding the block that is part of the longer blockchain), the block that is not part of the agreed truth is removed and its transactions are back into the Mempool. This removed block is a stale block.
  4. The best practice is to wait for six confirmations (i.e. six blocks confirmed after the one with your transaction). Waiting for more than one block to be confirmed when sending or receiving a transactions minimizes the possibility of being part of a stale block, which means your transaction will be dropped together with the block and your transaction will be back to the Mempool.
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#469

  1. When two miners solve a block at the same time, both new blocks are upended to the blockchain and propagation to the network of nodes proceeds as usual. The nodes located closest to the miner geographically will likely receive the new block quickest and be among the first to confirm the proof of work. In this particular case, however, the network has now accepted two versions of the truth (as both new blocks contain valid transactions and confirmation from adjacent nodes), and the blockchain can only sustain one version of the truth. We now have a temporary fork in the blockchain, which must be resolved. The fork becomes resolved when another miner(s) begins mining activity upon his version of the blockchain (truth) and solves the next cryptographic puzzle, subsequently upending new blocks to that side of the fork. This version of the blockchain grows longer with newly confirmed blocks, and the longest blockchain will always be accepted by the network as THE truth. The orphaned blocks will be dropped and their respective transactions will be returned to the mempool.

  2. As described above, a stale block (or orphaned block) is a block of validated transactions upended to the blockchain by a miner but ultimately dropped when a “competing” version of the truth is adopted and confirmed by the network. The transactions are then returned to the mempool.

  3. Stale blocks occur when two miners solve a block at the same time. See above for further detail.

  4. Waiting for more than one block to be confirmed (six blocks is recommended) reduces the chance that a stale block will occur and the validated transactions of said block will be returned to a state of purgatory in the mempool.

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#470
  1. They will both accepted into the network and both truths being circulated.
  2. The block that is returned into the Mempool,
  3. because of their next block wan’t fast enough to solve the puzzle and someone else did it and choose the other blockchain line and made it the loongest
  4. Otherwise it will not include your node or block of TX data. Waiting for more than one block to be confirmed (six blocks is recommended) reduces the chance that a stale block will occur and the validated transactions of said block will be returned to a state of purgatory in the mempool.
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#471

Hi Fabrice

Thanks for your correction. I also wanted a little guidance as far as my courses. My goal is to perhaps have a career change. I’m a 58 year doctor. I’ve been obsessed with crypto for a little over 2 years and believe I have a good grasp of the technology. I am also very creative and have some ideas for use case models. I’m not looking to be a developer but I will take the basics so I have an understanding.

What I really want to do is be a consultant to businesses that seek to adopt blockchain tech for what ever use…payment flows, supply chain etc. I believe there will be tremendous opportunity for this When adoption ramps up.

Any thoughts? I would also be open to being part of a collaborative effort…working with more technical/developers. By the way I am in New York City, which I believe is advantageous.

Thanks again

Andrew

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#472

[quote=“ivan, post:1, topic:8434”]
What happens in the bitcoin network when two miners solve a block at the same time? Both are valide but still not Confirm yet, until the network can find the Blockchain with most P.O.W, when the network have choose the one that will be added to the Blockchain will take the Stale Block TX’s and put back in the Mempool and the other block will be destroy
What is a stale block? A Block that have be remove by the network as he don’t own enough P.O.F again another block
How do stale blocks occur? By the fact that other Miner and Note have selected another BLock to Attach their block to
**Why is it important to wait for more than one block to be confirmed when sending or receiving a transaction?**To make sure tha NODE and BLock have time to broadcast accurate BLock Data to a maximum of NODE AND MINER on the network.
[/quote]…

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#473

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

both block get append to the blockchain, and then the next block in line will decide what block should be the right block

What is a stale block?

A stale block is the block that was in the blockchain but then dropped because another block that was produced at the same time was part of a longer chain.

How do stale blocks occur?

when two miners solve a block in the same time

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

if one of the previous blocks was a stale block, so 6 confirmation is needed.

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#474
  1. What happens in the bitcoin network when two miners solve a block at the same time?

If two miners solve a block at the same time, both blocks will be added to the network, and it will be a
race across nodes to see which one will remain as part of the chain.

  1. What is a stale block?

    A stale block is a block that existed on the network at one time, but has been dropped and has had
    its transactions returned to the mempool.

  2. How do stale blocks occur?

    Stale blocks occur when two blocks are accepted on the network at the same time, and propogate
    different nodes with the new block. Once the next block is completed it will be based on only one of
    the proceeding two blocks and therefore the block that is not included will become stale and dropped
    from the network.

  3. 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 confirmation before sending or receiving a transaction because a stale block might occur, and it does your transaction will be reversed and your new transaction will not go through.

#475

Q1A. The Miner connected to the longest chain wins the reward.
Q2A. A stale block is a block that is no longer used as it is no longer part of the longer chain.
Q3A. Stale blocks occur when a shorter chain eventually meets with a longer chain. The longer chain becomes the accepted chain and the shorter chain now becomes stale/orphaned.
Q4A. A block needs to be confirmed by the longest chain before it is accepted as being on “The Chain”.

#476

  1. Both blocks will compete for being attached to the blockchain however, the only one succeeding will be the one that will see to its block attached another new block. In this way, the network will accept the longer blockchain and reject the other block which will then be sent back to the mempool.

  2. a Stale block is a block that has been dropped from the blockchain

  3. It occurs when the blockchain will continue on another valid block.

4.Because your transaction might be on a staled block and be reverted to the mempool.

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#477

  1. What happens in the bitcoin network when two miners solve a block at the same time?
    Both blocks get added separately to the blockchain and will remain until the next block is added to either one of those blocks. Blockchain will accept the longest chain

  2. What is a stale block?
    The stale block is leftover block that does not get added to the blockchain

  3. How do stale blocks occur?
    When two blocks reach the target at the same time, both are added to the blockchain but only one block can be appended permanently to the blockchain. The block that gets dropped from the blockchain becomes a stale block

  4. Why is it important to wait for more than one block to be confirmed when sending or receiving a transaction?
    To ensure that your transaction will be 100% confirmed and added to the blockchain and is not part of a stale block

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#478
  1. What happens in the bitcoin network when two miners solve a block at the same time?
    There will temporarily be two versions of the truth, but this is resolved when following blocks sooner or later produces a longer block, in term of PoW, and the “loosing” block will be dropped, and the transactions in that block returned to the mempool. These loosing blocks are called stale blocks.
  2. What is a stale block?
    A rejected block with the transactions returned to the mempool.
  3. How do stale blocks occur?
    See 1.
  4. Why is it important to wait for more than one block to be confirmed when sending or receiving a transaction?
    So that it is less likely that your transaction end up in a stale block.
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#479

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

Another miner will come along, mine the nearest block closest to it out of the 2 blocks that have solved
the puzzle together, the new miner will propagate & broadcast the transactions, the network will pick up that the block that it is broadcasting is the only true version & the other block will go back to the mempool, the network will always except the longest chain.

2/ What is a stale block.?

two blocks can solve the puzzle at the same time only one will be the true version, the other will be the stale block…two blocks waiting to be confirmed, a miner comes along who might of started to mine one of the blocks, the network will always except the longest Blockchain, ( proof of work ) the other blocks transactions will go back to the mempool, unconfirmed.

3/ How do stale blocks occur.?

stale blocks occur after a fork is resolved with a longer chain.

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

waiting for confirmation will greatly reduce the odds of it becoming an orphaned / stale block…

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#480

1 & 2. When this happens we basically see a fork, nodes that are closer to one miner accept that reality and nodes that are closer to the other miner will also accept whats true to them. Then when the third miner comes into the picture it’s basically him deciding what side of the fork will be taken to complete the blockchain. The blockchain always chooses the stronger PoW and once it’s decided the other side is being dropped (Becoming a Stale/Orphan Block) All Transactions go back to Mempool

  1. Stale blocks occur when more than 1 miner solve the puzzle and succeeds at adding their block into the blockchain in their closest network. But then their block is actually being dropped because the blockchain decided to go the other route.

  2. It’s important because this block can be a Stale/Orphan block and it’ll be dropped which means that your transaction will go back to the Mempool until it’s added to another block.

My question:
What happens when a block is being dropped for the miner? is his reward and money taken away?

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#481

They don’t get any reward. That’s also the reason that The reward is unspendable for 100 blocks

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