Oh, thank you! that clarifies a lot. One more question, regarding to the electrical field propagating "at a significant fraction of the speed of light", exactly how quickly is the propagation in comparison to the speed of light.Nugatory said:The change in the electrical field is what matters, and it propagates at a significant fraction of the speed of light - so we're talking maybe tens or hundreds of nanoseconds from switch closing to voltage across the filament of the light bulb.
The drift velocity of the electrons in the wire is much smaller, but that's something different. If you and I are holding opposite ends of a long metal rod and I pull on my end, you'll feel it almost immediately whether I pull quickly or slowly.
When you hit the switch, it completes an electrical circuit and allows electricity to flow through the light bulb. The flow of electricity causes the filament in the light bulb to heat up, which in turn produces light.
The time it takes for the light to turn on after hitting the switch depends on the type of light bulb and its wattage. Incandescent light bulbs typically turn on almost instantly, while LED bulbs may take a fraction of a second to turn on.
No, the distance between the switch and the light bulb does not affect how quickly the light turns on. The speed of electricity is very fast, traveling at approximately 670 million miles per hour, so the distance between the switch and the light bulb is negligible.
Yes, external factors like temperature can affect how quickly the light turns on. In colder temperatures, it may take slightly longer for the filament to heat up and produce light. This is why some light bulbs may take longer to turn on in colder environments.
In most cases, there is no noticeable delay between hitting the switch and the light turning on. However, some newer LED bulbs may have a slight delay of a fraction of a second. This is due to the way these bulbs are designed and does not affect their overall functionality.